Nigeria Orders Full Digitization of Civil Service: MDAs to Go Paperless 2025 End
In a policy shift aimed at transforming Nigeria’s public sector, the Federal Government has directed all civil Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to fully digitize their operations and eliminate the use of paper by December 31, 2025.
The directive was issued by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, during a press briefing in Abuja.
She emphasized that the move is part of the government’s broader reform efforts under the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 (FCSSIP-25), which prioritizes digital transformation as a cornerstone of improved governance.
Walson-Jack noted that the shift to a paperless system is not just about saving paper, but about modernizing workflows, improving accountability, and making government services more efficient and transparent.
“The vision is a fully digitized civil service that delivers smarter and faster services to Nigerians.
“This transformation involves not just digitizing records but automating entire processes to reduce delays, improve access, and ensure that public institutions are future-ready,” she said.
So far, 11 MDAs—including the Ministry of Health and the Office of the Head of Civil Service—have already adopted Enterprise Content Management (ECM) systems to manage digital records and automate internal processes.
The Office of the Head of Civil Service itself has reportedly been operating without paper-based documentation for some time.
The government has also rolled out GovMail, an official email platform, to thousands of civil servants nationwide. Over 31,000 officers are currently using the system, ensuring secure and official communication within the service.
While implementation has been uneven due to budgetary constraints in some agencies, Walson-Jack said partnerships with both local and international stakeholders are being explored to bridge the resource gap.
The directive requires that by the end of 2025, all federal MDAs must have fully transitioned to digital platforms for document management and internal communication.
Compliance will mean that approval processes, memos, records, and most bureaucratic tasks will be executed through automated digital systems rather than traditional paper files.
Officials say the reform is aimed at enhancing transparency, boosting public confidence in government institutions, and aligning Nigeria with global best practices in public sector management.
The push to digitize government processes is not new, but this directive marks a definitive timeline and a strong political will to modernize Nigeria’s civil service.
As digital governance becomes the norm globally, Nigeria’s move is seen as a necessary step toward achieving better service delivery, reducing administrative waste, and curbing corruption enabled by manual systems.
If the 2025 deadline is met, Nigeria could position itself as a regional leader in e-governance within Africa.
