Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has mandated the full digitalisation of civil service processes to reduce bureaucratic delays, improve accountability and enhance service delivery across the state.
The governor who was represented by his Deputy, Comrade Joel Salifu, stated this on Tuesday at the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 Kogi State Civil Service Week held at the Government House, Lokoja.
Governor Ododo said the transition from traditional filing systems to digital infrastructure would reduce the time spent searching for files, curb leakages and strengthen accountability across ministries, departments and agencies.
He said the administration was also expanding professional development opportunities for civil servants in data analysis, emerging digital technologies, artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve economic planning, resource allocation and project implementation.
Governor Ododo added that digital transformation required more than technology, stressing that workers must be equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to use digital tools effectively.
He also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare, saying their motivation remained essential to an effective public service.
Earlier, the Kogi State Head of Civil Service, Hajiya Falilat Yusuf Musa, said the Civil Service Week provides an opportunity to reflect on the future of the state’s civil service and the need to build an efficient, productive, incorruptible and citizen-centred workforce.
She described the theme, “Digital Transformation, a Panacea for Better Civil Service Delivery,” as timely, saying technology had changed the way government and citizens communicate, work and access information.
Falilat disclosed that the state’s digital transformation programme included the Smart Kogi App, Kogi Connect, Kogi Vault, and the Head of Service website and career portal, alongside training programmes to improve the digital skills of civil servants.
She urged workers to protect government information as more official processes become digital, stressing the need to safeguard devices, accounts and official data.
Falilat assured that her office would continue to pursue capacity building, professionalism and institutional reforms aimed at strengthening the civil service and improving service delivery.
The opening ceremony also featured lectures on “Digital Transformation, a Panacea for Better Civil Service Delivery,” by Elder Sunday Odeh and on “Artificial Intelligence in Public Service Administration: Prospects and Challenges,” by Dr. Bashir Tenuche and another session by Professor Moses Atakpa on “Bureaucratic Corruption in the Nigerian Civil Service.”
