CEM REPORT | The Nigerian e-Government National Master Plan which is expected to boost competencies for the e-government service delivery is to gulp 13 million U.S. dollars.
The project which enters its second phase will be funded by the South Korean International Cooperation Agency’s (KOICA) grant aid. This is as a result of a bilateral partnership between the Republic of South Korea and the Nigerian Government.
The South Korean Ambassador to Nigeria, Kim Young-Chea, revealed this at the official commencement of the “Project for Building Foundations towards Digital Governance for Nigeria,”
The Ambassador said that Korea would spend 13 million U.S. dollars to develop capacity and further enhance the execution of the national e-Government master plan.
“Today’s project, funded by KOICA’s grant aid to the tune of 13 million U.S. dollars, is expected to enhance capacity for the further execution of key initiatives of the national e-Government master plan.
“It is expected to boost competencies for the e-government service delivery, and the development of the Government Service Portal.
“It can also create increased access of the NIN enrolment for ordinary people,”
He further added that the continued partnership between Nigeria and South Korea had provided an activated platform for both countries to collaborate and take advantage of the most of Korean experience.
Young-Chea, who was represented by KOICA’s Country Director, Sungil Son, stated that South Korea’s success on e-Government development which is portrayed as one of the world’s most successful stories adding that there were many aspects of unique South Korean experiences that could be adapted to suit Nigeria.
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The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, said the Federal Executive Council approved the master plan which would guide the adoption and implementation of the e-Governance programme in the country in 2019.
While noting that the first phase of the project commenced in 2013 and was supported by KOICA as part of a Bilateral Agreement between Nigerian and the Korean Governments, he added that the ministry signed the agreement for the implementation of the second phase of the e-Government development for Nigeria with the South Korean government through KOICA in August 2021.
According to NAN, the minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, William Alo, said the ministry under the first phase, embarked on the process of developing policies, frameworks and strategies for a robust implementation of plan management and implementation of e-Governance initiatives in Federal Government institutions.
“This will expand delivery of government digital services through the enhancement of government services Portal.
“It will create increased access to NIN enrolment through the establishment of additional NIN enrolment centres,”
The minister through his representative also said the actions of the ministry and KOICA was in line with the government’s policy to use Information Communications Technology (ICT) to drive transparency in governance while also soliciting more support from the South Korean government.
“We hereby solicit your support in the implementation of the project, which promises to have boundless impacts on Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda and national development,”
The Programme Director, KOICA, Nigeria, Prof. Hung Kook-Park, said Korea was hoping that by 2026 Nigeria should have moved from the 140th position in the e-government ranking to be among the first 100.
“Currently Nigeria is ranked 140 in the world’s e-Government index ranking but we want Nigeria to be below 100 by the year 2026.
“That is what we hope to achieve with this programme,”
