On August 23, 2023, the Republic of Korea through its grant aid agency, Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Office in Nigeria in conjunction with the KOICA Office in Rwanda, Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy (FMCDE) and Galaxy Backbone (GBB) of Nigeria organised a groundbreaking knowledge exchange program through the South-South and Triangular Cooperation.
This transformative initiative united Rwanda, Nigeria and the Republic of Korea in a collaborative effort to empower the Nigerian Government Service Portal (GSP) team with Rwanda’s exceptional digital governance practices.
The event held in Kigali, Rwanda featured study visits and discussions related to policies, strategies, and programs for Rwanda’s digitalization journey.
During the study visit, the Nigerian GSP team embarked on a six-day working visit from August 21st to 26th, 2023.
The study visit was organized as part of an effort to promote the exchange of knowledge and experiences between Nigeria and Rwanda through KOICA, with a specific focus on enhancing e-Government development.
The primary emphasis was on the efficient delivery of government digital services through a one-stop portal model. The delegation from Nigeria sought insights from Rwanda’s successful Irembo GSP, which serves as a prime example of GSP deployment.
Notably, the timing of this study visit was well-suited, given that Nigeria’s GSP full deployment is still in its early stages.
The study visit formed part of project activities under ‘the Project for Building Foundations Towards Digital Governance in Nigeria (2020 – 2026)’.
The project which is fully funded by the Korean Government through grant aid is expected to enhance capacity for the further execution of key initiatives of the National e-Government Master Plan, strengthen the deployment of government-wide Enterprise Architecture (EA), improve competencies for e-Government service delivery through capacity building programs, expand the delivery of government digital services through the activation of the GSP www.services.gov.ng and create increased access for National Identity Number (NIN) enrolment through the establishment of additional NIN enrolment centers.
During the study visit, the GSP team identified key factors that are crucial for successfully implementing a functional and effective Government Service Portal. These factors include having a strong governance structure that enforces policies at the highest level and maintaining continuous engagement with stakeholders, including users (citizens and businesses) and service providers (government agencies). Additionally, it’s important to ensure inclusivity for seamless access, a robust digital infrastructure, and the development of necessary skills.
A significant highlight of the study visit was the collaborative workshop involving the Smart Africa Alliance and the Nigerian GSP team.
During this workshop, Prof. Muhammed Bello Abubakar, the Managing Director and CEO of Nigeria’s Galaxy Backbone, expressed gratitude to Mr. Minjae Kang, Deputy Country Director of KOICA, for their contributions to Nigeria’s eGovernment development.
He emphasized that the success of the GSP hinges on hosting it on a national infrastructure to reach underserved areas and ensure system interoperability among various government agencies in Nigeria. He added that the insights gained from the study visit in Rwanda will play a pivotal role in strengthening Nigeria’s ongoing digitization efforts, especially as the GSP achieves full functionality.
In delivering his remarks, the Deputy Country Director of KOICA Rwanda Mr Kim Kwonho, who represented the Country Director commended efforts of KOICA in driving a convergence point between Rwanda and Nigeria, in the area of digital governance. He re-echoed the importance and benefits of cooperative efforts among different countries through knowledge sharing and exchange programs.
The Nigerian GSP team consisted of representatives from nine governments agencies*, some of whom will contribute their digital services to the GSP once it becomes operational. This study visit was made possible through the facilitation of Rwanda Cooperation in Kigali and Sangmyung University from the Republic of Korea.
The activation of Nigeria’s Government Service Portal is the central focus of this project and development of the portal is expected to be completed within an 18-month period.
