The Head of Civil Service of the Federation Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan said Ministries, extra-ministerial Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have been given the opportunity to ensure adequate budgetary allocation in the 2024 budget for digitisation of their operations.
The Head of Service said this at a one-day Retreat on Digitalisation for the Head of Service and Permanent Secretaries held in Abuja.
She said MDAs have no excuse not to up their game on digitalisation in 2024 in line with the targets stipulated in the Federal Civil Service and Strategy and Implementation Plan, 2021-2025 (FCSSIP25).
She said for the civil service to run with the pillars of FCSSIP25, it must digitalise its work processes.
She urged MDAs to leverage on technology to drive the national goals of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration.
The Head of Service also expressed dissatisfaction that Nigeria is lagging behind in terms of digitalisation.
According to her, 90% of governments in the world has since gone digital and presently deploying Artificial Intelligence solutions.
Emphasising the gains of digital operations such as reduction in cost of governance, eliminating waste and provision of information at the backend with saved data, the Head of Service urged MDAs to ensure uniformity and interoperability of data in order to achieve common set goals.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary (Special Duties Office) Mr Farouk Yusuf Yabo said the Head of Service was committed to ensuring civil servants operate digitally
In a goodwill message, the Director-General of NITDA, Mr Kashifu Inuwa, said digitalisation was the only solution that would bring the entire federal civil service system together.