Digitalisation: FG formally ends paper-based operations in federal service

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, has announced the formal end of paper-based operations across Nigeria’s Federal Civil Service.

This follows the full implementation of government directives mandating digital workflows in all ministries and extra-ministerial departments and agencies.

Speaking at a media parley on Wednesday in Abuja, Mrs Walson-Jack said that with effect from the close of business on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, all Federal Ministries and Extra-Ministerial Departments (MEMDs) have transitioned to digital operations, marking a major shift in the administration of government business.

According to her, the development represents a decisive move away from legacy bureaucratic processes toward a modern public service built on accountability, efficiency and technology-enabled service delivery.

The HCSF said that the reform builds on years of incremental digitalisation efforts under successive administrations and Heads of the Civil Service, but gained significant momentum after she assumed office in August 2024.

“At that time, only three MEMDs had achieved limited digital operations. That number has since expanded to 38 MEMDs, comprising 33 ministries and five extra-ministerial departments, including the State House, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Federal Civil Service Commission and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation,” Walson-Jack said.

She said the Federal Civil Service has standardised official communication through the widespread deployment of government email accounts as part of the reform.

She also said that fewer than 20,000 official email addresses existed as of August 2024, but the number has now grown to over 100,000, ensuring that all civil servants operate with official government email identities.

She said that the move has strengthened the security and traceability of official correspondence, reduced reliance on informal communication channels and delivered significant cost savings to the Federal Government by eliminating fragmented external email subscriptions.

Walson-Jack said the reform outcomes align with the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025, which designated 2025 as the “Year of Accomplishment,” with a focus on delivering measurable results across the service.

She added that the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) would now extend implementation to departments and agencies, while sustaining momentum through optimisation, compliance monitoring, cybersecurity enhancement and further digitisation of government workflows.

She said, “From now on, federal ministries and extra-ministerial departments will no longer accept paper submissions through physical registries, as all official correspondence must be sent through designated electronic channels.”

Walson-Jack said the development represents a decisive break from legacy bureaucratic processes and the emergence of a modern, accountable, and technology-enabled public service.

She said, “This reform signifies the end of paper-based operations in the Federal Civil Service. The days of missing or misplaced files are gone. What we have now is a system built on efficiency, accountability, transparency, and speed.”