As the world becomes increasingly dependent on digital technologies, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), through the Digital Transformation Technical Working Groups (DT-TWGs), conducted a 5-day workshop with seven Federal Public Institutions (FPIs) to enable seamless implementation of Nigeria’s e-Government Master Plan.
DT-TWGs are required to ensure that all ICT and digital technologies-related policies and regulations are adhered to by their organisations to foster the development of a sustainable digital economy.
The Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, represented by Director IT Infrastructure Solutions (ITIS), Dr Usman Gambo Abdullahi, while declaring the workshop open, gave a background on the essence of the workshop.
He recalled that the Nigeria e-Government Master Plan (Ne-GMP) was approved and launched by the Federal Executive Council on the 24th of May 2019.
He added that, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, alongside the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), unveiled and launched the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) for a digital Nigeria at the opening ceremony of the eNigeria Conference, Exhibitions and Awards on November 28, 2019.
According to the DG these two documents set clear directions for Government digital transformation in Nigeria, which NITDA is taking strategic steps to implement.
“To reduce the complexity associated with digital transformation and accelerate the achievement of expected values from the deployment of IT systems, digital technologies, innovations, and edge against the lack of strategic architecture, insufficient collaboration, integration, sourcing, or effective project management, NITDA in 2018 and 2019 developed the Nigeria e-Government Interoperability Framework (Ne-GIF) and the Nigeria Government Enterprise Architecture (NGEA),” he said.
He noted that globally, the Enterprise Architecture (EA) is being utilised as a standard tool for implementing digital transformation plans and strategies.
Inuwa said, “These documents form the foundation for taking government-wide IT deployment from silo-based to an integrated whole-of-government approach and ultimately an asset for digital government transformation.”
He elaborated that the seven layers of NGEA, which are Business, Service, Data, Application, IT Infrastructure, Security, and Performance are centred around people and processes, with each layer having high-level expectations for FPIs, and as well specified best practices, standards, tools, reference models, and recommendations that will help achieve the value propositions and citizens’ expectations for government digital services.
Hence, he said, NITDA, under the directives of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy has embarked on many initiatives such as the NGEA/Ne-GIF National Implementation Committee comprising of about 40 critical FPIs representatives and IT industry players to govern and advise on government-wide digitisation of processes and functions, Phased assessment of IT systems, Digital Services, and Capabilities for 200 FPIs to establish AS-IS situation analysis, and provided capacity for over 448 DT-TWG members across the 100 FPIs inaugurated earlier, and several others, in line with implementing the e-Government Master Plan.
“Digital Transformation calls for a rethink in how public institutions do business and deliver public value and experience to customers. Transformation cannot happen effectively on the outside unless it happens on the inside”, he noted.
Consequently, NITDA has taken another step to establish Digital Transformation Technical Working Groups in 7 Federal Public Institutions with the following responsibilities and expectations; to play the role of advocates for the digital economy and digital transformation-related activities, advise their Management on adoption and utilisation of digital technologies for business transformation and effective digital service delivery, guide automation and digitisation of Government business processes, provide support and guidance for initiation and implementation of IT projects.
The groups shall also ensure IT and Government business alignment, propose and implement initiatives to enhance and ensure that Government Digital Services (GDS), and IT projects implementation are in compliance with the provisions of NDEPS, Ne-GMP, IT Projects Clearance Policy and Guidelines, Ne-GIF, NGEA, NDPR, and other National ICT/e-Government documents, develop and implement their organization ICT plan and Enterprise Architecture (EA) including solution architecture for IT deployment, and perform any other functions that may be assigned by the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, and in line with the provision of NITDA Act 2007.
At the closing ceremony of the 5 day training, the DG noted that the workshop is expected to foster collaborations, among government institutions.
“The Digital Economy journey that you are experiencing today and in your various organisations is the move, that would propel the transformation that we desire. Since this foundational architecture has been put in place, I am convinced that you will go back to your respective organizations to be champions of digital transformation,” said Inuwa.
The seven FPIs that participated in the training are the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NIALS), Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nigeria Institute of Securities Studies (NISS), Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN), and National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and internally displaced persons (NCFRMI).
The Director General spoke through the Ag. Director, Corporate Planning and Strategy, Dr Aristotle Onumo.
