The federal and state governments have been urged to leverage digital technology like data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), fintech and the social media platforms like WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram to enhance eGovernment service delivery to citizens.

Experts, who gathered at the fifth annual eGovernment Summit organised by DigiServe Network Services in Lagos, gave the advice, stressing the need for proper utilisation of government facilities in driving eGovernment services across the country.

According to them, facilities such as post-office facilities could be used as innovation hubs to drive innovation in government processes.

In his welcome address, the Executive Chairman, DigiServe Network Services and convener of the eGovernment Summit, Lanre Ajayi, said the new administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu could leverage technology to enhance government service offerings to the citizens to better their lots in a prosperous nation that they hoped for.

In one of the panel sessions, chaired by the Group Managing Director, VDT Communications, Biodun Omoniyi, which discussed the sub-theme: ‘International Best Practices in eGovernment’, the lead paper presenter, who is the Public Policy Manager, Anglophone West Africa at Meta, Mrs. Sade Dada, said Nigeria needed basic infrastructure like reliable energy system and ubiquitous internet connectivity to drive eGovernment services across the country.

The panelists were of the view that Nigeria should emulate global leaders in eGovernment process like Estonia, explained that Nigeria does not need to become one of the top global eGovernment nations of the world to effectively drive eGovernment process, but could emulate them.

The experts said Nigeria would need to replicate the global industrial revolution and address the issues of power and Internet connectivity to effectively deliver on best practices in eGovernance.

Senior Solution Architect, Huawei Technologies Nigeria, Aliyu Isah, said Nigeria would need a centralized data repository system to manage communications for effective eGovernment service delivery.

Country Manager, Tek Experts Olugbolahan Olusanya, spoke on the need for capacity development and training for effective eGovernment delivery process. “Government must develop the capacity of Nigerians to drive technology development in the country. Nigeria has a large number of unemployed youths, which must be trained. Tek Experts is involved in training Nigerians and has trained over 4,000 Nigerians and hired over 2,000 Nigerians in the last five years,” Olusanya said.

Director, Linkages and Partnership Office, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ife, Prof Adeniran Oluwaranti, said the school system should be involved in eGovernment processes, adding that the tertiary school curriculum has evolved over the years and that the school is now teaching new programming languages that will help drive digital transformation that will enhance eGovernment delivery processes.

Head, IT Programme and Portfolio Management at 9mobile, Oluwatimilehin Adelowo, said: “eGovernment is about the use of digital technology to improve services and to make government more effective and efficient to the citizens. Government must evaluate its eGovernment processes to rediscover where we are as a country and to understand what the government wants to achieve with eGovernment. If we understand this, we should be able to address the challenges in eGovernment. Nigeria’s eGovernance rating is low.

We need policies that will drive proper eGovernance processes in the country.”