Here is how Soludo is institutionalising e-governance in Anambra

A few days ago, precisely on the 26th of May, Panorama CIAPS Governance Performance Index (CGPI) – a collaborative effort between Nigerian Panorama and the Commonwealth Institute of Advanced Professional Studies (CIAPS) – ranked Anambra as one of the ‘’leading states in adopting and implementing e-governance practices that foster accountability, transparency, and improved service delivery’’.

The ranking criteria used by CGPI include: website security, up-to-date content, level of public engagement, availability of online services, content relevance, nature of directory, policy updates, and user accessibility. On the aggregate, Anambra had an average score of 78% – which was the second highest score from the 36 states in the federation – while Lagos State got the highest aggregate score of approximatly 84%.

Here is what Professor Anthony Kila, Director of the CIAPS, had to say: ‘’ The centrality of e-governance allows us to assess the performance of state governments in the country. How the government treats the digital world says a lot about them’’. Professor Kila’s comments were apt. Anambra’s leadership in e-governance says a lot because e-governance flourishes in an environment that promotes openness, accountability and transparency. It is well-known that digital systems expose leakages and inefficiency.

The CGPI ranking did not come as a surprise to many. At the outset of Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration, it was clear that the governor was determined to implement the following mantra: ‘’Everything Technology & Technology Everywhere’’. In 2022, a few weeks after Governor Soludo was sworn in, the administration started with an aggressive upskilling of young people in advanced digital technology and Artificial Intelligence skills through initiatives such as ‘Code Anambra’. The goal: to create a pool of young talents that can add value at home and are exportable.

In Anambra, citizens are not only informed but are engaged through various digital channels. The Solution Lens, for example, is a medium that is used by residents to communicate with the Anambra State government, share their ideas, opinions, concerns and to influence policy decisions. This digital platform helps residents to stay updated with government’s policies and projects.

Government projects and activities in Anambra are updated regularly on the Solution Lens. But there is more to the Solution Lens – i.e. features that make it unique. Through the Solution Lens, citizens can request for information from any government institution and get answers. This is a typical example of how the freedom of information should work. Through the Governance portal of the Solution Lens, citizens can participate in debates, polls and even send in proposals on government policies.

There is a concerted effort by the Governor Soludo-led administration to enhance transparency through e-governance and other traditional means.

Civil servants are continuously trained and upskilled in order to work effectively with digital platforms. In some Nigerian states, there are institutional resistances to change, especially from those who benefit from manual and opaque systems. These kinds of resistance have been dismantled in Anambra. The vision to make the civil service in Anambra fit for the 21st century is on course.

There is a very intentional plan to democratize internet access in Anambra. Currently, all the state-owned tertiary institutions – i.e. universities, polytechnics and colleges of education – are being provided with free broadband fiber optics internet connectivity. (Those institutions not yet enjoying these free internet services currently have their infrastructure being designed). Public areas and markets are being provided with free Wifi access. This is not a cheap venture but the state government understands the correlation between internet connectivity and the productivity of citizens. Little wonder that countries like Finland consider internet access a fundamental right. In 2010, Finland became the first country to declare broadband internet – 1Mbps then – a legal right. (Finland is commited to digital equality, social inclusion and this makes Finland a global leader in e-governance). Besides, the role the internet plays in the promotion of democracy cannot be overemphasized.

There is a strong political will to be transparent in the Governor Soludo’s administration. In some jurisdictions, the fear of transparency and accountability discourages digitization but this is not the case in Anambra. The state is on course in standardizing its e-governance framework. It wants to be a model for other states when it comes to e-governance. As of February 2025, Nigeria ranked 144th out of 193 countries with a score of 0.4815 (on a scale of 0 to 1) according to the UN E Government Development Index (EGDI). This is a marked improvement from previous ranking. Efforts such as the “OneGov” portal, Data.gov.ng, and some state-specific e initiatives have helped Nigeria on its e-governance rating but more still needs to be done.

Expectedly, the federal government is rolling out a series of aggressive e-governance and digital initiatives in order to boost its rating. The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is spearheading a one-stop portal to consolidate government services, such as passport renewals, tax payment and healthcare services. The country also plans to aggressively lay over 90,000km of fiber-optic cables across the country. Nigeria has also launched a Service Wise GPT, a beta AI assistant designed for civil servants to streamline tasks such as policy drafting, memos, and real time guidance. There are also programs like the 3 million Technical Talent (3MTT), which aims at training 3 million Nigerians in areas like AI, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and software engineering by 2027.

The federal government’s bid to be a leader in e-governance is on course and Anambra intends to take the lead at the subnational level.

Nwankwo is the special adviser to Soludo on Special Projects.