The United Nations has named Edo State the best state in Nigeria for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and digital governance, in appreciation of the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration’s e-government initiatives.
The state was honoured during the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Design Workshop in Lagos, which was attended by delegates from the country’s 36 states, including commissioners and managing directors of state ICT agencies and parastatals, among others.
Over the last seven years, the Obaseki administration has implemented ambitious and revolutionary changes in the state’s civil and public service, transforming service delivery from an outdated, analogue, and laborious mode to a digital, seamless, and efficient manner.
In response to the recognition at the well-attended ceremony in Lagos, Ogbeide Ifaluyi-Isibor, the commissioner for digital economy, science, and technology for the Edo State, praised Obaseki for being a pathfinder in the ICT industry.
The UNDP workshop, he claimed, made him feel like a rock star, and he was extremely proud of Nigeria’s progress in ICT and digital government.
“We are about the only state that has gone paperless in our government processes. Some states are centuries behind on this. With our almost 80 percent e-government compliance in the civil and public service, we lead all other states.
“While many states are trying to negotiate with Galaxy Backbone, the nation’s Data Centre for web hosting and others, Edo State has a tier-three state-of-the-art data centre with over 1.5 petabyte data storage space with a 99.9 per cent efficiency level,” he added.
cc: Guardian Ng
