UN Endorses Nigeria’s E-Governance model

The United Nations (UN), leading organ for global development, has endorsed the Nigerian model of electronic governance (e-governance) as a viable option for successful deployment of e-government across the world.

The endorsement was given at the recent UN organised International Conference for Electronic Governance (ICEGOV2007), which ended in China weekend.

Dr.Olu Agunloye, Executive Vice Chairman / CEO Nigeria eGovernment strategies Limited (Negst) who lead Nigeria’s delegation to the august event said that the UN was impressed with the public private partnership model adopted by the country, particularly in the light of appreciable progress made in deploying e-govenment in Nigeria thus far.

e-Government refers to government’s use of information technology to exchange information and services with citizens, businesses, and other arms of government.

He stated that the conference provided opportunity for Nigeria to showcase how far it has gone in implementing the e-government initiative, share ideas and create relationship to fast track deployment of e-governance in the country.

Victor Ogunmakin, Director, Head of Service at the Presidency and a member of the Nigerian delegation to ICEGOV2007 said that the seven point agenda of the present administration is driven by IT.

According to him e-government is electronic administration of governance that is capable of helping to bridge the digital divide and which Nigeria must speed up implementation of so as not to be left behind in the comity of nations. Nigeria cannot move ahead unless

e-Government is rigorously implemented, he added. He noted that e-Government is a top instrument for reforming e-governance, so it is expedient that the nation quickly put in place a framework for compliance. Compliance not based on local internal standards rather international benchmarks.

By deploying e-Government, we are only attempting to keep in step with global trends, he remarked.

Dr. Jhalil Tafawa Balewa, a medical doctor and private sector participant in the Nigerian delegation, said that ICEGOV2007 provided an avenue to bench what Nigeria was doing in terms of e-Government with what is happening globally.

Full-scale implementation of e-Government in Nigeria would put us on equal level with developed countries from around the world, he stated.

There is an urgent need to spread the news of what e-government holds for the country and why e-Health, which is a part of the conundrum, must be developed, he averred.

Over 59 countries took part at the conference with 27coming from Africa.