• Nigeria launches 1Gov Cloud to digitize environmental data management
• Platform aims to boost efficiency, cut costs, and reduce carbon footprint
• Initiative supports national digital agenda and inter-agency coordination efforts
  

Nigeria’s Ministry of Environment has launched the 1Gov Cloud Digitalization Program to modernize its services and improve environmental data management through a unified government platform.

“Digitalisation is no longer optional; it is a necessity. Through the Galaxy Backbone 1Government Cloud, we are enabling data-driven environmental management, eliminating paperwork, reducing operational costs, and directly cutting carbon emissions,” said Environment Minister Balarabe Abbas Lawal during the launch on Monday, Oct. 26.

The 1Gov Cloud will enable the ministry to gradually move its internal systems and databases to a secure national cloud. Officials said the transition will make it easier to collect, share, and analyze environmental data, including information on pollution, biodiversity, and waste management, while improving coordination among the ministry’s agencies.

The program is part of the government’s broader digital transformation agenda aimed at creating a more efficient, transparent, and accessible public administration. It also supports Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen data-driven decision-making across ministries.

In 2024, Nigeria scored 0.5372 out of 1 on the United Nations Online Service Index, which measures the quality and reach of government digital services. The African average that year was 0.3862, compared with a global average of 0.5754, placing Nigeria among the continent’s better performers.

Adoni Conrad Quenum