The Anambra State Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) has assessed about 25 ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to determine their level of digital compliance, data protection and readiness to deliver government services through digital platforms.
The assessment, which includes a review of compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023, highlights the growing importance of data protection, cybersecurity and digital standards across Nigeria’s public institutions.
The Agency disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists by its Public Relations Officer, Angela Nwanodu.
According to Nwanodu, “the assessments are being conducted by ICTA’s MDA and Compliance Unit and cover key institutions, including the Ministries of Justice, Education, Agriculture, and Commerce and Industry.”
The exercise examines government websites and official email systems, digital platforms for records, payments and approvals, online services, data management, cybersecurity practices, service delivery and compliance with government ICT standards.
Chinyelu Odigbo, lead of the MDA and Compliance Unit, said the assessment was intended to determine the level of digital performance across the MDAs and identify areas requiring the agency’s intervention.
“Government does not run on assumptions. It runs on evidence. These MDA visits are how the Agency builds that evidence, MDA by MDA,” Odigbo said.
She said; “the assessments would enable ICTA to establish the actual state of digital government across the MDAs and use the findings to guide interventions.”
The Agency said preliminary findings had revealed uncertainty over compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 in some MDAs, while records-management practices varied across institutions.
Odigbo said “the findings had highlighted areas requiring further attention, adding that the assessments were not designed as one-off inspections.”
According to her, ICTA would track identified gaps, provide guidance to MDAs on compliance and maintain engagement through designated ICT focal persons.
The Agency said the findings were also helping it prioritise technical support, training and other interventions while developing a broader scorecard to measure digital maturity across Anambra’s government institutions.
The assessment comes as public institutions increasingly depend on digital systems to manage official records, process payments, deliver services and handle citizens’ personal information, making compliance with data-protection and cybersecurity requirements an important component of digital governance in Nigeria.
