Edo Govt Targets Full Public Service Digitalisation, Says HoS

…As NAWOJ Pushes for Gender-Sensitive Reporting, Women’s Inclusion

The Edo State Head of Service, Dr. Anthony Okungbowa, has reaffirmed the commitment of the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo to the full digitalisation of the state’s civil and public service, describing the initiative as a critical step toward enhancing productivity, efficiency, and service delivery.

Dr. Okungbowa stated this while receiving the newly inaugurated executive members of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Edo State Chapter, during a courtesy visit to his office at Government House, Benin City.

He explained that the state’s decision to overhaul its previous electronic governance system followed identified challenges, particularly around intellectual property ownership and backend access. According to him, the government has now developed a fully state-owned digital platform known as **Edo Cloud (Edo-Gov 2.0)** to address these concerns.

The Head of Service noted that the new platform is more advanced and tailored to meet the evolving needs of the public service, adding that extensive training programmes are currently underway to ensure smooth onboarding and effective utilisation by civil servants.

“When the Governor assumed office, he identified the need to review the existing electronic governance platform due to challenges relating to intellectual property ownership and backend access. He was determined to establish a system fully domiciled within the state,” he said.

“We have successfully transitioned to Edo Cloud, which is a more robust platform. Ongoing trainings are equipping civil servants with the skills needed for seamless operation. In the coming months, Edo State will have a unique success story in public sector digital transformation, and other states will come to understudy our model,” he added.

Dr. Okungbowa expressed optimism that Edo State would soon emerge as a benchmark for digital governance among sub-national governments in Nigeria.

Earlier, the Chairperson of NAWOJ, Edo State Chapter, Comrade Habiba Sam, commended the state government’s strides in public service reform, particularly in digitalisation, and acknowledged the leadership role of the Head of Service in driving the transformation.

She said the visit was aimed at formally introducing the association’s new executive members and exploring areas of collaboration with the Office of the Head of Service, especially in capacity building and welfare support for women journalists in the state.

Comrade Sam reaffirmed NAWOJ’s commitment to professionalism, advocacy, and service, noting that the association remains focused on amplifying women’s voices and promoting gender-sensitive reporting in the media.

Other dignitaries present at the meeting included the Permanent Secretary, Edo State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Dr. Desmond Agbama, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Iryn Omorogiuwa, Esq., among others.