Governance

 Policy Statement 

 

The nation shall use IT as the major driving force to re-engineer and rapidly transform governance to interface with the needs of its citizenry by establishing transparent "Government Wide Information System (GWIS)" at national, state and local government levels.


 Objective 

  1. To replace traditional governance with electronic governance.

  2. To create knowledge-based and Simple Moral Accountable Responsive and Transparent (SMART) governance.

  3. To reduce bureaucracy.

  4. To maximize productivity and quality.

  5. To eliminate waste.

  6. To increase efficiency.

  7. To create an easy and free access to government information.

  8. To reduce the cost of service delivery.


 Strategies 

 

  1. Ratifying a Data Protection Act (DPA) for safeguarding privacy of National computerised records and electronic documents.

  2. Ensuring through NITDA, the implementation of compatible standards for networking of all government organisations to share data, information and reporting on-line; establish inter-agency support structures that build on existing successful inter-agency efforts and provide expertise and advice to other federal agencies;

  3. Expanding the skill and career development opportunities of information technology professionals in government; and improve the management and use of information technology within and among agencies by developing information technology procedures and standards and by identifying and sharing experiences, ideas, and promising practices; and provide innovative, multi-disciplinary, project-specific support to agencies to enhance interoperability, minimize unnecessary duplication of effort, and capitalize on agency successes; supported by a Government IT Procedure Act (GITPA).

  4. Making IT skill acquisition mandatory for all government employees, by:
    a. Requiring all civil servants to become functionally computer literate within 24 months of this policy coming into force.
    b. All new entrants into the civil service from grade level 6 and above must be functionally computer literate prior to commencing their appointment; and
    c. Tie eligibility requirements for all employees, of federally owned, funded and controlled organisations, nominated to attend overseas, advanced management or technical programs, or those being considered for promotion or special posting will henceforth include their being functionally computer literate.

  5. Establishing clear accountability for information resources management activities by directing all federally owned, funded and controlled bodies to appoint Chief Information Technology Officers (CITOs) with the visibility and management responsibilities necessary to directly advise the Federal agency head on the design, development, and implementation of their information systems. These responsibilities include:
    a. Participating in the investment review process for information systems;
    b. Monitoring and evaluating the performance of those information systems on the basis of applicable performance measures; and,
    c. As necessary, advising the agency head to modify or terminate those systems.

  6. Promoting through the National Information Technology Development Agency the self-sustained development of Nigerian IT solution providers in areas such as training, software development and "service" houses by ensuring that not less than 30% of the values of all ICT contract awards are undertaken using local value added products, services or personnel.

  7. Establishing Internet connectivity and access for government employees at all levels.

  8. Establishing Web Sites for improved government image and as information centres for the citizenry.

  9. Safeguarding the effective use of the "dot NG (.ng)" Domain name for Nigeria, with NITDA as the operating agency.

  10. Developing on-line forms for information collation.

  11. Simplifying citizens' access to the process of governance and government information by providing choices and options for interaction with government, and advance the use of electronic media for government contract tendering and procurement processes.

  12. All Federally owned, funded or controlled organisations will immediately embark on the following measures, namely:
    a. Improving significantly the management of government statutory bodies information systems, including the acquisition of information technology, and facilitating the adoption of Information Technology (IT) solutions in all aspects of their operations where practicable;
    b. Focussing information technology management to support directly statutory bodies strategic missions, implement an investment review process that drives budget formulation and execution for information systems, and rethink and restructure the way they perform their functions before investing in information technology to support that work;
    c. Using of information technology to improve the productivity of federal programs and promote a coordinated, interoperable, secure and shared government wide infrastructure that is provided and supported by a diversity of private sector suppliers and a well-trained corps of information technology professionals.