ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)-The Federal Government is preparing to implement a European-style digital governance system, with the European Union announcing its support for Nigeria in deploying the X-Road platform.
This secure, open-source digital infrastructure already in use in Finland and Estonia connects government institutions and streamlines the delivery of public services.
The EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, revealed this during the Nigeria GovTech Conference and Awards 2025, organised by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR).
According to a statement released after the conference in Abuja, the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s plan to fully digitise public service operations by the end of this year.
The conference, themed ‘Redefining Possibilities: Harnessing Emerging Technologies for Public Service Delivery and Socio-Economic Development,’ convened diplomats, policymakers, and tech experts to explore how digital tools can transform governance and strengthen citizens’ trust in public institutions.
Mignot explained that the EU is supporting Nigeria’s adoption of the X-Road digital public infrastructure, which enables seamless, real-time, and secure data sharing among government agencies without compromising user privacy.
“The digital solution we are looking at, about the digital public infrastructure, is a solution the minister identified in Estonia, which Estonia and many other countries already apply, called the X-road. So, it’s the overall model and technology that connects all the public sector within the public sector, but also with users,” he said.
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He further elaborated with an example from Estonia, where the system links individuals, vehicles, insurance companies, and inspection authorities to ensure that vehicles are properly insured—without exposing personal data beyond user-authorised limits.
“So that model is done in a way that protects your data, in the sense that you are not really exposed to knowledge of your data beyond what is strictly authorised by the user.
“Your data is not exposed beyond what is authorised by you. Whether it’s for school registration, insurance, or other services, the system prompts you to complete your transactions securely with the relevant authorities,” he said.
Mignot added that the initiative mirrors successful implementations in Estonia and Finland, nations globally recognised for pioneering digital governance.
He also disclosed that the EU’s broader digital partnership with Nigeria includes the rollout of 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cables, nationwide digital literacy programmes, and the establishment of digital transformation centres.
Additionally, the EU has committed an initial £8 million in grants and loans under the Nigeria Digital Economy Initiative to strengthen data infrastructure, expand internet access, and promote digital inclusion.
The Director-General of BPSR, Dasuki Arabi, said Nigeria’s public service is already embracing digital reforms to improve efficiency, accountability, and transparency.
He noted that the Bureau, in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission, has begun integrating advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, process automation, and blockchain into governance systems.
“We must begin developing and adapting emerging technologies in government processes,” Arabi said.
“We are actively working to integrate distributed ledger technologies to secure documents, simplify tasks, and optimise resource allocation for better service delivery.”
Arabi also revealed plans to train over 500,000 public servants in digital literacy and emerging technologies to ensure long-term innovation in the civil service.
“People are the true enablers of innovation,” he emphasised. “Our goal is to empower public servants to manage and sustain these technologies for long-term impact.”
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, represented by Esuabana Nko-Asanye, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, said the Federal Government is pursuing reforms to improve the interoperability of government systems and strengthen Nigeria’s digital identity infrastructure.
He emphasised that digital transformation is central to President Bola Tinubu’s governance reform agenda, aimed at enhancing transparency, cutting costs, and improving service delivery.
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“By digitising government services, we reduce the cost of living and ease the cost of doing business,” Akume said. “This approach eliminates bottlenecks, creates transparency, attracts investment, and unlocks the innovation potential of our economy.”
He added that the government is committed to establishing strong policies and legal frameworks that safeguard data, encourage private sector participation, and build digital capacity across public institutions.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Tunji Olaopa, stressed the need to move “beyond digitisation to modernisation,” urging the adoption of cutting-edge technologies to reshape public service in an era dominated by artificial intelligence and automation.
“Artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution are reshaping governance globally,” he said. “Nigeria must rise to the challenge by modernising its institutions to take advantage of this expanding frontier.”
Olaopa noted that digital transformation through the GovTech initiative is equipping Nigeria to build governance resilience, improve citizen engagement, and prepare the workforce for the challenges of the fifth industrial revolution.
Originally developed in Estonia and later adopted by Finland, the X-Road system acts as the backbone for secure, real-time data exchange across government and private institutions.
It enables databases in areas like tax, education, healthcare, and transport to “talk” to one another without requiring citizens to repeatedly submit the same information.
The model promises to eliminate duplication, speed up service delivery, reduce corruption, and boost transparency in government processes.
Nigeria’s partnership with the EU represents a major stride toward realising the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020–2030), which aims to position the country as a leading digital economy in Africa.