President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday directed Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to fully embrace technology-driven processes, revealing that 38 ministries and extra-ministerial departments have already migrated to a secure paperless workflow system.

The President said the Nigerian civil service was undergoing a major digital transformation aimed at eliminating bureaucratic delays, improving transparency and enhancing service delivery.

Speaking at the opening of the International Civil Service Conference 2026 in Abuja, Tinubu declared that the era of “manual inefficiency” in government operations must give way to a faster, more accountable and technology-driven public service.

Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, the President said reforms under his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda were already producing measurable outcomes.

According to him, the civil service has moved “from aspiration to execution, and from execution to measurable impact.”

Tinubu said the deployment of end-to-end electronic workflow systems across dozens of ministries underscored Nigeria’s commitment to building a modern bureaucracy capable of driving investment, innovation and inclusive economic growth.

“When we spoke of digitalisation in 2025, some may have considered it an ambition for the distant future. Today, with 38 Ministries and Extra-Ministerial Departments operating on a secure, paperless and end-to-end electronic workflow system, we are sending a clear message: Nigeria is building a public service that enables progress,” he said.

The President directed all MDAs to intensify the adoption of digital systems and technology in public administration, insisting that government institutions must become more responsive to citizens’ needs.

“The era of manual inefficiency must give way to a culture of speed, transparency, data-driven decision-making and citizen-centred service,” he stated.

Tinubu also disclosed that the ongoing Personnel Audit and Skills Gap Analysis initiated by his administration was nearing completion, noting that the exercise was aimed at identifying competency gaps and repositioning workers for modern governance.

He linked the reforms to the broader digital infrastructure drive of his administration, including Project BRIDGE, Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth, which he recently promoted at the Africa CEO Forum in Rwanda.

According to him, Nigeria is opening its digital infrastructure ecosystem to investors and development partners to stimulate job creation, innovation, connectivity and public sector efficiency.

The President commended the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, for driving reforms under the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP) 2021-2025.

He particularly praised the introduction of innovative tools such as Service-Wise GPT, describing it as evidence of what could be achieved through disciplined leadership and institutional commitment.

Tinubu said the conference should serve as a “results laboratory” for deeper governance reforms, urging participants to focus on institutionalising reforms and strengthening accountability across public institutions.