The federal government has disclosed that digitalisation of all the 774 local government headquarters in Nigeria would be completed by 2027.
This will be executed through the Ministry of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy and other relevant agencies such as Galaxy Backbone (GBB), Nigerian Communication Satellite Limited (NigComSat) and Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF).
The Minister of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani stated this at a stakeholders retreat on project 774 connectivity in Abuja, Thursday.
Tijani said the government has a target of 2027 to fully digitalise all the remaining local government headquarters in the country.
“If you’re talking about durations as to when we’re going to reach all the 774 local government areas, the goal is that by 2027, we’ve spread that out in the blueprint that was put out,” he said.
Tijani said that one of the goals of the project was to foster inclusive development and access to digital public infrastructure in government offices located all over Nigeria, including the most remote areas of the country that may have been previously underserved or unserved.
He also said that the ministry would provide affordable and reliable internet access and resources required to deliver efficient public services through strategic partnerships and the deployment of cutting-edge technology.
Tijani said that the role of the LGAs in delivering public services in Nigeria includes healthcare, education, social welfare, infrastructure development and waste management, among others.
The benefits connecting local government secretariats in Nigeria enhance access to information and services, he said, adding that “some of the benefits empower local entrepreneurs and businesses.”
In his opening remarks, the Executive Secretary, USPF, Oluyomi Arowosafe, said: “Our aim is to provide internet access, wide internet coverage, and ICT in underserved, unserved, and rural areas. And this is basically to support social inclusiveness and social equity in the country.
“And the USPF is doing that with the strategies that we have to provide connectivity, and we do that by granting subsidy or providing grants to our implementers, and they go to rural areas to deliver those services.
“And the anchors of this programme, the Project 774, the USPF, which facilitates the Universal Service Provision Fund.
“Under the supervision of the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Communication, Innovation, and Digital Economy, however, when we look at the challenges that we have seen over time, we’ll just mention one or two, like the Human Development Index of Nigeria is about 161 out of 193, which we intend that our contribution in the local government will support and add value to probably improve in the standard of living, health, and other areas.”
According to him, this is to support the eight strategic priority areas of the federal government, the priority three and priority five, which have to do with economic growth and inclusiveness.
“All these areas are things that support the Project 774 local government areas connectivity. And the Project 774 connectivity, as it stands, it is basically to support citizens’ engagement in the local governments, which to an extent we need to improve from where it is to where we want to go,” he stressed.
Speaking on the digitalisation of local government areas, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kogi State, Kingsley Fanwo said: “The project has already started in the state. Some local government areas in the state are already benefiting from this project. So, it is something that is connecting the people and helping in digitising the administration of local government councils in the state.
“We want all the LGAs to be connected, to enjoy the connectivity. And it is not only that; a lot of government offices too.”
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