The governors of Jigawa, Adamawa, and Plateau States have been honored as Digital Governors of the Year for the North-West, North-East, and North-Central regions respectively.
The awards were presented at the Nigeria GovTech Gala and Awards 2025, organized by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) on Friday in Abuja.
The event recognized outstanding public and private sector institutions, as well as individuals who have integrated digital technology into their operations and contributed to developing Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State said the recognition reflected the success of their efforts to integrate e-governance, transform public service delivery, create jobs through technology, and promote the digital economy.
“Promoting ICT is our top priority. We are committed to restoring Jigawa’s reputation as a pace-setter in e-governance and the use of ICT for socio-economic development,” Namadi said.
He added that the state had established the Jigawa State ICT Development Agency, revived moribund facilities, and increased ICT investments to digitize government processes for improved service delivery.
The Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) also won the Best Federal Health Institution in Innovation and Use of Technology Award.
The hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Prof. Yusuf Jibrin, who received a Trailblazer Award, said the recognition was a validation of the hospital’s ongoing digital transformation.
“We have implemented innovations such as the Electronic Medical Records (EMR) integration with the e-CMDS platform, and introduced e-class systems for teaching and collaborative research,” Jibrin said.
Iris Smart Technologies Ltd was named Digital Governance Company of the Year. Its Executive Director of Operations, Ms. Mina Lawson, said the company remained committed to advancing ICT in Nigeria.
She noted that Iris Smart Technologies was instrumental in launching the country’s first digital passport system, among other innovations, and emphasized that digital governance was key to achieving a unified national ID system.
In his remarks, the BPSR Director-General, Dr. Dasuki Arabi, said the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated global adoption of technology and underscored its importance in public service delivery.
“It is my hope that within the next one or two years, Nigeria’s public service will rank among the top 20 globally in terms of digitalization and service quality,” Arabi said.
He added that 99 per cent of Nigerians outside the Federal Capital Territory should also feel the impact of digitized governance, urging citizens to embrace and promote the digital transformation agenda.
Arabi revealed that the Nigeria GovTech Initiative, which began with six states, had now expanded to 27 states across the country.
Other award winners included the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), which received the Best Federal MDA in Open Data Excellence Award, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which won the Best MDA in Cybersecurity Excellence Award.
