The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation has launched the 1GOV Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS), marking a major transition from paper-based operations to a smart, integrated, and technology-driven work environment. The Go-Live ceremony held on Tuesday in Abuja.
The launch underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to digital governance, institutional reform, and improved service delivery in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, according to a press statement signed by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Mrs. Funmi Imuetinyan.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, FNSE, described the deployment of the 1GOV ECMS as a landmark achievement that will significantly enhance efficiency within the Ministry. He said effective data management, proper technical documentation, and streamlined workflows are critical to governance in a highly technical sector such as water resources and sanitation.
Utsev noted that the system will boost productivity, preserve institutional memory, reduce operational costs, and strengthen transparency and accountability in decision-making processes across the Ministry.
Launching the platform, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, OON, mni, described the initiative as a bold and transformative step in public administration. She said the Ministry’s mandate directly affects every Nigerian household through water supply, sanitation, irrigation, river basin development, hydrology, and climate resilience programmes.
According to her, the 1GOV ECMS enables secure digital records management, automated workflows, electronic approvals, real-time collaboration, and interoperability across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). She added that the deployment aligns with the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (2021–2025) and the directive for full digitalisation of work processes by December 2025.
“Effective governance cannot afford delays caused by manual bottlenecks, misplaced files, or avoidable inefficiencies,” Walson-Jack said.
She formally welcomed the Ministry into the growing number of MDAs operating on the 1GOV Cloud platform, noting that it has achieved full compliance with its digitalisation deliverables under Pillar Five of the FCSSIP 2021–2025. She also directed that all official correspondence must henceforth be processed through approved digital registry channels.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Emanso Umobong, said the ECMS will eliminate workflow inefficiencies, prevent document loss, improve service delivery, and strengthen accountability. She urged directors and staff to fully embrace the platform and commit to continuous capacity building to ensure sustainability.
Also speaking, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone Limited, represented by Mr. Akintayo Ayodele-Bamisaye, described the Go-Live as a historic milestone and a decisive step towards a paperless and digitally enabled public service.
During a presentation on the system, Mr. Ayodeji Bakare of Galaxy Backbone highlighted the role of digitisation in ensuring central ownership of government information and strengthening Nigeria’s digital sovereignty.
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Delivering the vote of thanks, the Director of Water Resources Planning and Technical Support Services, Engr. Adeyinka Adenopo, expressed appreciation to the Ministry’s leadership and staff, urging all employees to fully adopt the 1GOV ECMS to maximise its benefits.
The event was attended by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Civil Service Matters, Mr. Alfred Abah, top management officials from the Ministry, representatives of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, and other staff.
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