FG to Train 500,000 Civil Servants on Digital Literacy to Improve Governance

Oghenevwede Ohwovoriole in Abuja

The federal government is to train 500,000 civil servants on digital literacy to improve government’s operations by eliminating bureaucratic bottlenecks in official transactions.

The Director General, Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), Dasuki Arabi, disclosed this in Abuja, Thursday at the ITGOV Nigeria 2025 conference, with the theme, “Advancing Government Operations Through Digital Transformation”, organised by Transter IT and ManageEngine.

Arabi, who was represented by the Director Strategy, Innovation and Research, Sulala, said,  “In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, IT automation has become not just a tool, but a strategic imperative for modern governance.

“From eliminating bureaucratic bottlenecks to improving service delivery and accountability. automation is at the very heart of the transformation journey we must all embark upon.

 “ At the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), we have long embraced our role as an engine of change. Through platforms like our self-assessment tool and the website ranking scorecard for MDAs, we have embedded performance metrics into the fabric of public service delivery.

“However, digital tools alone cannot drive transformation. We must invest in people, the true enablers of innovation. “That’s why we have committed to training 500,000 public servants in digital literacy and emerging technologies, equipping them to manage and sustain these technologies for long-term impact.”

He called for collaboration between all the tiers of government for the project to be realised, adding, “We urge all relevant state and federal institutions to collaborate with us on this ambitious but necessary goal.”

The Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA, Kachifu Abdullahi in his keynote address stated that the world was witnessing a digital transformation that is changing the way way governments operate.

Speaking through his Technical Assistant, Dr. Femi Adeluyi, he said the Nigerian government had embarked on a journey to leverage digital transformation to drive development and growth.

“The case for digital transformation in government around the world, governments are waking up to a powerful realisation. Digital transformation is not a luxury but a necessity.

“These governments are not just digitising services, they are transforming operations.

“They are building citizen-centric platforms, leveraging data for better policy decisions, and ensuring services are inclusive, accessible and resilient.”

Abdullahi noted that digital transformation is not just about technology but rethinking and building a government that listens, responds and evolves with its citizens, adding that Nigeria has the potential to become a model for Africa.

Speaking earlier, the Executive Director of the Tranter IT, Melanie Ayoola, emphasised the importance of digital solutions in improving government operations.

“This will boost productivity by responding quickly to any issues or challenges that may come up to prevent an employee from working or being productive, having maximum productivity.

“So, in a government space where you have thousands of workers, 12,000, 15,000 and more, you can imagine having a percentage of those employees not working at full capacity because their tool is down.

“But if you have little issues on 30 per cent of your workforce, you have people working at 50 per cent capacity, and your output starts to decline as an organisation.

“So, not only will you have low productivity if you do not utilise some of these IT automation solutions but you can affect the services to the public.”

“ With the right solutions and training, governments can harness the power of technology to provide better services to citizens and drive development in the country,” she saidd

In His remarks, the Regional Head, West Africa, ManageEngine, Stranivasan Rajasekar, noted that the organisation offers comprehensive solutions for public and private sector organisations of all sizes, empowering them to secure, simplify, and optimise their IT infrastructure.