Ijaw Youths Urge Nigerians to Back Civil Service Digital Reforms, Ignore Distractions

The Coalition of Ijaw Youth (CJY) in the Niger Delta has called on Nigerians to support the ongoing digital transformation of the Federal Civil Service, urging the public not to allow recent developments surrounding the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC) to overshadow what it described as one of the country’s most significant public sector reform programmes.

The coalition, in a statement signed by its National President, Comrade Bedford Berefa Benjamin, said the digitalisation drive being championed by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, was laying the foundation for a transparent, efficient and accountable public service.

According to the group, the deployment of the Enterprise Content Management (ECM) System, GovMail, the 1-GOV Cloud Platform and other digital solutions has accelerated Nigeria’s transition to a paperless Civil Service, enhanced service delivery, strengthened accountability and reduced bureaucratic bottlenecks across Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

“The transformation being championed by the Head of the Civil Service is redefining public administration by ensuring official records are digitally preserved, approvals are traceable and accountability is strengthened,” the statement read.

The coalition noted that the reforms had replaced cumbersome manual processes with secure digital platforms that improve document management, preserve institutional memory, promote transparency and facilitate faster decision-making.

It added that the expansion of digital governance across government institutions would reduce administrative errors, strengthen internal controls, improve audit trails and ensure greater compliance with Public Service Rules.

The group argued that recent developments in the public space should reinforce, rather than weaken, the determination to accelerate institutional reforms, stressing that technology-driven systems provide stronger safeguards against procedural lapses associated with manual administration.

It also commended ongoing initiatives aimed at strengthening merit-based career progression, capacity development, payroll integrity and knowledge management, describing them as essential to building a modern and responsive Civil Service.

The coalition maintained that institutional reform was a continuous process that should not be undermined by premature conclusions before due administrative processes were concluded.

“The ongoing digital transformation of the Federal Civil Service is one of the most ambitious governance reforms in Nigeria today. It deserves sustained support, consolidation and full implementation across government,” the statement added.

The coalition urged the Federal Government to fast-track the nationwide rollout of digital governance initiatives, saying a fully integrated and paperless public service would enhance transparency, improve efficiency, strengthen accountability and restore public confidence in government institutions.

It reaffirmed its commitment to supporting reforms that promote institutional excellence, technology-driven governance and a Federal Civil Service that delivers efficient, transparent and citizen-centred services.