*HCSF: 18 MDAs Digitalized
With the launching of the Ministry of Interior Electronic Records and Archiving System (IntERAS) in Abuja on Monday, the Minister, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said all is now set for the Ministry to run mobile and on-the-move offices for its activities.
The system, which has made the Ministry to beat the Federal Civil Service December 2025 deadline for MDAs to go paperless, also placed the Ministry as the 18th MDAs to beat the deadline.
Speaking at the launching in his office, Dr. Tunji-Ojo, said that the system will be replicated in all the government agencies under the ministry.
He said "I am extremely delighted to be here today. This is 2025, not 1975. Technology must play its role in governance. You cannot run any process without catalysts, and technology is that catalyst which speeds up the rate of progress.
"I have always maintained that technology will never replace human capacity, but it will enhance it and make us more efficient.
"As an IT person myself, I fully understand the value of IntERAS. My policy has always been that no file stays overnight on my desk.
"With this system, I can now work on the move, run a mobile office, and process documents faster and more efficiently." he said
Stressing that the new solution is not isolated, the Minister said that the Citizenship and Business Department is now fully automated.
"You apply online for citizenship, business permits, or even marriage licenses. No more paperwork. Similarly, quota administration is now fraud-proof through harmonized data with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).
"Today, we issue electronic SEPAC instead of manual forms that once forced applicants to travel across local governments just to make purchases.
"We also built an 8.3 petabyte, Tier-4 data center to ensure government retains ownership of its data, powered by solar for sustainability."
According to him, the Nigerian borders are now monitored with advanced surveillance.
With the United Nations-mandated Advanced Passenger Information System, he said that immigration officers now always know who is entering Nigeria before they arrive at the entry points.
He noted that profiling of visitors to the country is no longer subjective, but now objective and data-driven.
Dr Tunji-Ojo maintained that the Federal Fire Service has also been automated to monitor response times with verifiable data.
None of these reforms, the Minister said, would have been possible without the unwavering support of President Bola Tinubu.
He said the President has never turned down any memo relating to public service transformation, adding "That is what strategic leadership looks like."
The launching of the IntERAS, he said, is only the beginning, as the Ministry will not stop until it is fully automated and all its agencies are integrated into IntERAS.
The Minister commended the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, the directors and other key staff of the Ministry for the feat so far attained.
"Contrary to the stereotype some people have about civil servants, my experience in the last two years has shown me that the Ministry of Interior is blessed with some of the best people in public service.
"The transformation you see here today is not funded by government allocations, but by the dedication and sacrifice of our officers who worked sleepless nights to deliver." he stated
Dr. Tunji-Ojo also appreciated the consultants, including the team from Zimedi, who helped to raise the Ministry’s performance index from 62% to 85%.
He said that the Ministry under him is building a culture of raising strong institutions not anchored on any strong individual.
"Together, we will continue to transform the Ministry of Interior into a model of efficiency, transparency, and digital excellence." the Minister stated
Before launching IntERAS at the brief ceremony, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, urged other MDAs to key into the digitization process.
According to her, the December 2025 deadline for Federal Civil Service to go paperless is feasible.
"By steering the Ministry of Interior to become the 18th ministry to go live on the ECM platform, you have proven that with vision, teamwork, and commitment, digital transformation is achievable.
"This is no small feat, and I applaud you and your entire team with pride and admiration. Honourable Minister, I can confidently say: eighteen done, twenty to go. The December 31 deadline for a paperless civil service is indeed feasible."
Launching the IntERAS, she said, goes beyond the ministry as it aligns fully with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
"His Excellency has been unequivocal in his desire for a public service that is efficient, transparent, and digitally enabled."
Speaking to other MDAs yet to comply, the HCSF said "Let me use this moment to send a clear message to other ministries and extra-ministerial departments: if the Ministry of Interior can do it, so can you.
"Time is ticking, and December 31 is around the corner. Get on board now, or risk being left behind."
Congratulating Dr Tunji-Ojo, she said "Under your dynamic and reform-minded leadership, the Ministry of Interior has become a model of innovation and efficiency in the public service.
"You have demonstrated vision in digital reforms, modernizing passport issuance, streamlining visa and residence permit applications, and strengthening border management systems.
"These efforts have touched millions of lives directly, including ours, when guests from outside the country were able to obtain visas seamlessly and in record time." she added
But she urged the ministry to also ensure that the Performance Management System (PMS) is automated in the ministry.
While commending Galaxy Backbone, for the work done so far, Walson-Jack challenged it to redouble its efforts, scale up innovations, and support MDAs even more strongly.
In her welcome address earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Ajani, disclosed that it took the Ministry 9 months to complete work on the IntERAS.
Noting that the Ministry presently has 275 computers and prospects to acquire more, she said all the departments in the ministry virtually have computers to work.
According to her, staff can easily get on the Internet and work from anywhere in the world.
The Ministry, at the end of the launching, also commissioned its ICT Room.