By opting to host the Government Service Portal (GSP) program within the Nigerian Cloud, the Nigerian government has taken a giant leap forward in guaranteeing data sovereignty.
Data sovereignty and security are ensured by this action, which is anticipated to protect sensitive information while retaining government authority over data storage and processing.
At the stakeholders' engagement workshop in Abuja, Nigeria, hosted in conjunction with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, managing director of Galaxy Backbone Ltd., delivered this comment.
An integrated digital platform, the Government Service Portal facilitates citizen interaction with various government entities in a safe, streamlined, and easily accessible manner, therefore improving the delivery of public services.
Galaxy Backbone, a frontrunner in providing digital infrastructure and services to the Nigerian government, was instrumental in developing and launching the GSP.
The importance of this effort in revolutionizing the delivery of government services to Nigerians through Digital Public Infrastructure was highlighted by Prof. Adeyanju, the Managing Director of Galaxy Backbone Ltd.
"Citizens will be able to access a variety of government services through this portal, which was created in collaboration with KOICA. It will be efficient, transparent, and secure.
The hosting of this portal would be situated in Nigeria to address concerns about data breaches and to guarantee data sovereignty. One of the reasons Galaxy Backbone is participating is that we are not using any cloud services outside of Nigeria. He went on to say that the infrastructure powering this e-government master plan includes two data centers, one in Kano and the other in Abuja.
Noting that KOICA has invested thirteen million dollars in e-government projects in Nigeria since 2013, he praised the organization for its tremendous impact on the country.
He went on to say that the GSP program exemplifies the Nigerian government's resolve to use technology to revolutionize the way public services are provided.
One way that Nigeria has shown its commitment to digitalization for better governance is through the Government Service Portal. Together with KOICA, Galaxy Backbone is pleased to spearhead this effort to improve the openness, efficiency, and accessibility of government services. Every person of Nigeria will benefit from a fully digital public service environment, and with the help of these pilot agencies, we are making great strides in that direction," Galaxy Backbone added.
Data security is paramount, as highlighted by Farouk Yabo, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, who underscored that the initiative is housed within a government-owned cloud that is overseen by Galaxy Backbone.
The sovereignty and security of data are being prioritized by governments throughout the world, therefore this will be hosted within the government-owned Galaxy platform, which is a cloud service.
The Galaxy platform has strong safety mechanisms in place to protect its digital environment, which is one of its primary functions. "We have a dependable infrastructure without relying on external entities because we have a sustainable institution managing this initiative through the Galaxy platform," he stated.
With the hope that the workshop would facilitate fruitful conversations and lay the groundwork for accomplishing the GSP's entire goals, Sungil SON, the country director of KOICA, voiced optimism about the event.
It will be interesting to see if we can reach our service integration goals as we work toward full GSP activation in the first half of 2025.
"I am excited to listen to your ideas and feedback, which will assist us in accomplishing the development objectives of the GSP," he stated.
Additionally, Mr. SON emphasized that the agency will back Nigeria's efforts to create a digital economy that is accessible to all.
No need to visit physical offices for citizens to receive key services including NIN registration, business registration, healthcare services, and more through the GSP site.
Reducing delays, improving transparency, and empowering citizens to engage more effectively with their government will be the backbone of Nigeria’s e-government strategy, which will be supported by this initiative and the integration of the 12 pilot agencies. The GSP will then be rolled out across all government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
The Most Important Features of the Online Government Portal:
Secure and accessible services, enhancing government-to-citizen engagement, and speeding up digital transformation.
To ensure smooth service delivery as the portal becomes online, the workshop aimed to familiarize target agencies with the GSP's features, capabilities, and integration procedure.
An assortment of government entities, such as FMCIDE, NIMC, SMEDAN, NCC, NIPOST, FRSC, NAFDAC, NYSC, NPF, NIS, BPP, and NEPC, are taking part in the pilot project.
With this event, Nigeria takes another giant leap toward its digital transformation goals of bettering government-to-citizen (G2C) interactions and making government services more accessible to the general public.
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