In a bid to reduce reliance on foreign digital systems and drive paperless administration processes, Nigeria’s Federal Government has commenced the full rollout of its sovereign platform – 1Government Cloud (1Gov).
The digitalisation initiative, implemented through Galaxy Backbone Limited, is being implemented across key ministries, departments and government agencies. Among them are the ministries of Communications, Justice, Foreign Affairs, Solid Minerals, and Intergovernmental Affairs.
This approach mirrors global trends, where debates around dependence on foreign cloud providers, data security and national sovereignty have intensified.
By consolidating its operations under a homegrown platform, Nigeria hopes to strengthen data protection, unify inter-ministerial collaboration, and cut billions in recurrent operational costs.
The 1Gov platform integrates a suite of branded digital tools, including GovDrive for secure cloud storage, GovECMS for automated workflows, GovMail for encrypted communications, and GovE-Sign for legally recognised electronic signatures.
Wumi Oghoetuoma, programme director, 1Government Cloud, said the project was created to tackle inefficiencies, eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks by streamlining approvals and inter-agency communication in public service and improve accountability.
Professor Ibrahim Adeyanju, MD, Galaxy Backbone, described the rollout as “a crucial turning point in Nigeria’s digital journey”.
Adeyanju said: “With 1Gov, Nigeria is entering a new era of governance that would ensure faster decision-making, more secure documentation, and ultimately, better services for citizens. This is about building a government that is smart, responsive, and globally competitive.”
While the benefits of improved efficiency and reduced reliance on foreign suppliers are positives, concerns remain.
Daniel Zokoro, a local cybersecurity enthusiast, warned that building a sovereign cloud is only as strong as the protections around it. “Centralising sensitive government data on one platform raises the stakes for cyberattacks. Nigeria must invest heavily in encryption, continuous monitoring, and capacity-building for cybersecurity personnel. Otherwise, this move to reduce dependence on foreign systems could expose new vulnerabilities.”
Concerns were also raised over the sustainability of the initiative. Political analyst Eyikogbe Toluwalope stressed that without the right infrastructure, the project risks stalling.
“A number of offices in the Nigerian civil service do not even have functioning laptops or stable Internet access. For a project of this magnitude to thrive, government must focus on sustainability and ensure the necessary infrastructure is in place. Otherwise, this digital leap may widen existing gaps instead of bridging them,” he said.
Civil service reform advocates note that the adoption of 1Gov is in line with the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (2021–2025), which mandates ministries, departments and government agencies to fully digitise their operations by December 2025. With this timeline, the rollout becomes both a test of Nigeria’s capacity to modernise governance and a signal of its ambition to compete globally in digital sovereignty.
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