Friday May 24th, 2019: In Nigeria, the E-government master plan initially approved by the immediate past Federal Executive Council, has been launched and published for the consumption of the entire nation. According to reports from Galaxy Backbone, a public sector IT implementation agency, the official launch was carried out by the Secretary to the government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, the Head of Service, with the former Minister of Communications, Barr. Adebayo Shittu, Permanent Secretaries of several Ministries as well as the Heads and representatives of various Ministries, Departments and Agencies in attendance.
Accordingly, the launch of the E-government master plan remains one of the greatest achievements of the President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) led government. Consequently, government will soon commence full implementation of the E-government master plan, meant to set Nigeria apart in the league of nations in terms of effective government services delivery using digital technologies and Infrastructure.
According to the Director of E-government in the Ministry of Communications, Mr. Tope Fashedemi, ‘Galaxy Backbone will provide the Infrastructure that will serve as the enabler for full implementation of the e-government master plan’.
Galaxy Backbone (GBB) is the digital infrastructure and shared services
provider to government and all its agencies. GBB is saddled with the
responsibility to provide the technology platform through which the
e-government master plan will be implemented for the nation. The Managing Director/CEO,
Mr, Yusuf Kazaure explains further that ‘The e-government master plan heralds
the platform that will help ministries and agencies perform better and become
more effective in providing services to other government institutions,
businesses and the citizenry in a fast, reliable and efficient manner. This
will achieved through a shared platform’.
The goal of the e-government plan is to provide a transparent, competent,
service oriented digital base, and an information sharing hub. The vision of
the plan is to achieve a means to access government services online with ease
and that’s where Galaxy Backbone plays a huge role. Mr. Yusuf Kazaure, Chief
executive officer of Galaxy Backbone assured all that the agency will perform
its responsibilities to ensure the full implementation of the plan.
In emphasizing GBB’s role towards implementing the E-government master plan,
Mr. Frank Ugbodaga, Group Head Customer Operations and Services explained that
government has invested in a state of art Infrastructure, which includes a world
class Tier III Integrated National Data Centre to ensure that the full weight
of this plan is actualized. According to Mr. Ugbodaga, “Galaxy Backbone has an
active state of the art Tier III Data Centre with the latest infrastructure,
computers, storage and the largest dedicated tech structure and network
suitable for public and private consumption in Nigeria”.
In order to ensure that the E-government master plan is fully functional across the country and that the entire nation is fully digitized for effective interactions between government agencies across the country, between government and citizen and between government and businesses, Galaxy Backbone has invested in laying fibre optics infrastructure across the country. Mr Ugbodaga further stressed this National Information, Communications & Technology Infrastructure Backbone project meant for the benefit of the entire nation. “We have succeeded in installing fibre cables in 13 states of the federation under the first phase of this project. The second phase which has commenced, will see Galaxy Backbone cover virtually all states within the country interlinking government MDAs with a dedicated network. This vast network is open to be leased for both public and private sector companies”.
In light of these, Galaxy Backbone (GBB) is poised to create a digital nation,
and as such this e-government master plan is an integral part of ensuring that
the goal is achieved for the entire country. The organisation is looking
to collaborate with ICT companies across the country to leverage on its huge infractructure.
In addition to the Tier III Datacentre located in the Federal Capital Territory
Abuja, Galaxy Backbone has the only in-country Disaster Recovery Centre,
located in Enugu, South East Nigeria.