The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation has officially migrated to the homegrown 1Gov Cloud Enterprise Content Management System, marking a major shift in Nigeria’s public service operations toward a fully digital future. The announcement was made by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, OON, mni, who described the event as “a defining day in the history of the Nigerian Public Service.”
The migration represents a critical milestone under the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 (FCSSIP25), which aims to create a world-class, digital Civil Service that operates with speed, transparency, and efficiency. According to the Head of Service, this move goes beyond technology adoption, as it symbolises the government’s commitment to a paperless, tech-driven system that ensures sustainable governance.
Mrs. Walson-Jack noted that significant groundwork had been done to prepare for this transition. Over the past year, her office created official email addresses for all Civil Servants, with 59,344 already established. She explained that this initiative enhances communication, accountability, and digital integration across the Federal Civil Service. She also highlighted the development of Standard Operating Procedures for common services departments and units, which promote efficiency, uniformity, and standardisation across Ministries and Extra-Ministerial Departments.
Explaining the strategic reasons for adopting the 1Gov Cloud system, the Head of Service identified four main priorities: national sovereignty of data infrastructure, government-wide interoperability, economies of scale, and accelerated digital adoption. The 1Gov Cloud provides all Ministries and Departments with a unified digital backbone, harmonising workflows and enabling seamless communication and collaboration. The platform integrates key features such as GovMail for internal communication, InMail for direct messaging, GovDrive for document management, and GovConference for virtual meetings and online collaborations.
Reaffirming the Federal Government’s target of achieving a fully paperless Civil Service by December 31, 2025, Mrs. Walson-Jack stated that this new digital infrastructure will boost transparency, service delivery, and efficiency across the system. She commended Galaxy Backbone Limited, developers and managers of the 1Gov Cloud platform, for their professionalism and commitment to the Nigeria First Policy. She said, “We are transitioning from dependence on foreign technology to a Nigerian-built and Nigerian-owned digital system.”
During the event, a live demonstration showcased the capabilities of the 1Gov Cloud platform. Mrs. Walson-Jack assigned tasks to the Permanent Secretary of the Career Management Office and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Civil Service Matters. She also sent emails to the Permanent Secretaries of Foreign Affairs and Solid Minerals Development, who received and acknowledged the messages in real time, demonstrating the seamless inter-agency communication made possible by the new system.
