The Nigerian government has made significant progress in ensuring data sovereignty by deciding to host the Government Service Portal (GSP) initiative within the Nigerian Cloud.
This move is expected to safeguard sensitive information and maintain government control over data storage and processing, ensuring both data sovereignty and security.
The Managing Director of Galaxy Backbone Ltd., Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, made this statement at the Government Service Portal (GSP) initiative stakeholders’ engagement workshop in Abuja, Nigeria, organized in collaboration with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
The Government Service Portal is a unified digital platform designed to enhance public service delivery by providing a seamless, secure, and accessible portal where citizens can interact with multiple government agencies.
Galaxy Backbone, a leading digital infrastructure and service provider for the Nigerian public sector, has played a pivotal role in designing and deploying the GSP.
To this end, the Managing Director of Galaxy Backbone Ltd., Prof. Adeyanju, emphasized the significance of this initiative in transforming the delivery of government services to Nigerians through Digital Public Infrastructure.
“This portal, developed in partnership with KOICA, will serve as a one-stop shop for citizens to access a wide range of government services efficiently, transparently, and securely.
“To curb data breaches and ensure data sovereignty, the hosting of this portal will be based in Nigeria. We’re not using any cloud services outside Nigeria, and that’s one of the reasons why Galaxy Backbone is involved. We have two data centres, one in Abuja and the other in Kano, and they form part of the infrastructure driving this e-government master plan,” he stated.
While commending KOICA for its immense contribution to Nigeria, he noted that the agency has invested $13 million in Nigerian e-government projects since 2013.
He added that the GSP initiative is a testament to the Nigerian government’s commitment to transforming public service delivery through the power of technology.
“The Government Service Portal is a testament to Nigeria’s dedication to embracing digitalization for improved governance. Galaxy Backbone is proud to lead this initiative, working alongside KOICA to make public services more efficient, transparent, and accessible to all. With the engagement of these pilot agencies, we are taking a major step toward a fully digitized public service ecosystem that will benefit every Nigerian citizen,” Galaxy Backbone explained.
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The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Farouk Yabo, emphasized that the project is being hosted within a government-owned cloud managed by Galaxy Backbone to ensure data security.
“This is going to be hosted within the government-owned cloud, the Galaxy platform because countries around the world are prioritizing the sovereignty and security of their data.
“One of the key roles of the Galaxy platform is to secure its digital environment with robust safety measures. The fact that we have a sustainable institution with the Galaxy platform managing this initiative ensures that we have a reliable infrastructure without relying on external entities,” he said.
The Country Director of KOICA, Sungil SON, expressed optimism that the workshop would not only foster valuable discussions but also set the stage for realizing the full objectives of the GSP.
“As we aim for the full activation of the GSP in the first half of 2025, I look forward to seeing how service integration targets can be achieved.
“I am eager to hear your insights and suggestions, which will help us fully realize the development goals of the GSP,” he said.
Mr. SON also pledged the agency’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s journey towards an inclusive digital economy.
Through the GSP portal, citizens can access critical services such as NIN registration, business registration, healthcare services, and more, with minimal or no need to visit physical offices.
This initiative, along with the integration of the 12 pilot agencies, is a precursor to a broader rollout of the GSP across all government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), which will serve as the backbone of Nigeria’s e-government strategy—reducing delays, improving transparency, and empowering citizens to engage more effectively with their government.
Key Highlights of the Government Service Portal:
Accelerating Digital Transformation, Improving Government-to-Citizen Engagement, Secure and Accessible Services
The aim of the workshop was to familiarize target agencies with the GSP’s features, capabilities, and integration process, ensuring seamless service delivery as the portal goes live.
The government agencies participating in the pilot project include FMCIDE, NIMC, SMEDAN, NCC, NIPOST, FRSC, NAFDAC, NYSC, NPF, NIS, BPP, and NEPC.
The event marks a step forward in Nigeria’s ongoing digital transformation efforts, with the goal of improving Government-to-Citizen (G2C) interactions and enabling easier access to government services.
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