The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, announced the directive on Wednesday in Abuja during a digital transformation summit held to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Galaxy Backbone.
According to her, more than 115,000 active GovMail accounts have already been deployed across the federal civil service to ensure secure, traceable and professional communication within government institutions.
She stressed that government operations could no longer rely on personal email services and informal communication channels, warning that such practices expose official records to security and accountability risks.
“Government business cannot continue to depend on personal email addresses, informal channels and scattered records. Thanks to Galaxy Backbone, the era of Yahoo Mail for government transactions is over,” Walson-Jack declared.
She explained that the new policy would safeguard institutional memory by ensuring that official information remains within government systems even after public officers leave their positions.
“When an officer leaves a desk, government information must not leave with that officer. Institutional memory must remain within government,” she added.
The HoSF also disclosed that the Federal Government achieved a major milestone in its digital transformation agenda by fully digitising work processes across all 38 federal ministries and extra-ministerial departments before the end of December 2025.
She described the feat as evidence that meaningful reforms can be achieved through strong leadership, commitment and coordinated implementation across the public service.
Drawing a contrast with the traditional paper-based system, Walson-Jack recalled that files were often delayed, misplaced or trapped in bureaucratic bottlenecks, while digital processes now provide greater transparency, accountability and efficiency.
“For us in the Federal Civil Service, digitalisation is not a slogan or a ceremonial project. It is a practical reform designed to improve how government works,” she said.
She noted that the transition to a paperless civil service was aimed at eliminating delays, reducing unnecessary bureaucracy, enhancing transparency and ensuring that government activities can be tracked, measured and delivered more efficiently.
The Head of Service commended Galaxy Backbone for providing critical digital infrastructure, including the iGovernment Cloud, GovMail platform and high-speed internet connectivity that support government operations nationwide.
“You are not simply providing technology; you are supporting governance, enabling continuity and helping government function as one connected system. No digital government can thrive without a strong backbone,” she stated.
Also speaking at the event, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone, Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, said digital data had surpassed crude oil as the world's most valuable economic resource.
He urged the Federal Government to intensify the implementation of digital transformation policies to drive economic growth, improve service delivery and position Nigeria for greater competitiveness in the global digital economy.