…Head Of Service Sets Deadline For Paperless Governance
The Federal Government on Monday took a bold step towards a fully digital civil service as the Ministry of Interior rolled out its new Electronic Records and Archiving System (INTERAS) alongside the Enterprise Content Management (ECM) platform, making it the 18th ministry to do so.
Speaking at an event in Abuja, Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, declared that governance in 2025 could no longer operate with the mindset of 1975, stressing that technology must become the catalyst for efficiency in the public sector.
The Minister said, “This is 2025, not 1975—technology must play its role in governance. You cannot run any process without catalysts, and technology is that catalyst which speeds up the rate of progress. I have always maintained that technology will never replace human capacity, but it will enhance it and make us more efficient.”
Tunji-Ojo, who commended the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, described her as a partner in transformation.
“Her output is my input. Mine is policy direction, hers is administration and execution. It has been wonderful working with her, and I must sincerely commend her dedication,” he said.
The Minister dismissed the stereotype of inefficiency in the civil service, saying his experience over the last three years has shown that “the Ministry of Interior is blessed with some of the best people in public service.”
According to him, the digital reforms being celebrated were not driven by government allocations but by the sacrifice of civil servants who “worked sleepless nights to deliver.”
Citing a recent commendation from the Director-General of the Nigerian Employers Consultative Association (NECA), Mr. Wale-Smatt Oyerinde, Tunji-Ojo said the ministry was building “a private sector mindset in the public sector, anchored not on individuals but on strong institutions.”
He explained that INTERAS will allow him to operate a mobile office, speeding up processes and ensuring that “no file stays overnight” on his desk.
Beyond records management, the Minister highlighted broader reforms: automation of the Citizenship and Business Department, online applications for citizenship, permits, and marriage licenses, fraud-proof quota administration integrated with Immigration Service data, and the replacement of manual SEPAC forms with electronic issuance.
He added that the ministry had built “an 8.3 petabyte, Tier-4 data center powered by solar for sustainability,” while border security has been strengthened through surveillance systems and the UN-mandated Advanced Passenger Information System.
“Even the Federal Fire Service has been automated to monitor response times with verifiable data,” he said, while crediting President Bola Tinubu for approving every memo related to public service transformation.
Tunji-Ojo also praised consultants, including Zimedi, for raising the ministry’s performance index from 62% to 85%.
He further commended directors and officers, saying, “You are the true engine room of this ministry. Your commitment, sleepless nights, and professionalism have made today possible. Together, we will continue to transform the Ministry of Interior into a model of efficiency, transparency, and digital excellence.”
On her part, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, described the launch as a “double celebration” and hailed the Minister for driving reforms that have modernised passport issuance, visa processes, and border management.
“Under your dynamic and reform-minded leadership, the Ministry of Interior has become a model of innovation and efficiency in the public service. You have demonstrated vision in digital reforms—modernizing passport issuance, streamlining visa and residence permit applications, and strengthening border management systems,” she said.
She stressed that with the ministry now on the ECM platform, “the December 31 deadline for a paperless civil service is indeed feasible,” adding that “eighteen done, twenty to go.”
Walson-Jack also praised Permanent Secretary Ajani and described her leadership as instrumental to the ministry’s transformation.
“By launching this platform today, the Ministry of Interior is giving us a glimpse of that future—a future where service delivery is seamless, public servants are empowered, and citizens are better served,” she said.
She urged other MDAs to follow suit before the December 31, 2025, deadline, warning, “Time is ticking, and December 31 is around the corner. Get on board now, or risk being left behind.”
While challenging the ministry to also automate its Performance Management System (PMS), she called on Galaxy Backbone and development partners to scale up support for ministries in the transition.
“The simple truth is this—the future of governance is digital, and the future is now,” she added.
The event ended with the commissioning of the Ministry’s ICT room.
