Federal Government Confirms Full Transition to Paperless Operations Across Ministries

The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially confirmed that all federal ministries have completely transitioned to a paperless mode of operation, marking a major milestone in the country’s civil service digital transformation agenda.

This declaration was made by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who disclosed that paper documents are no longer required for carrying out government business across federal ministries.

Speaking during a press briefing on Wednesday, Mrs. Walson-Jack explained that every federal ministry has now been fully digitalised, eliminating the need for physical paperwork in official processes. According to her, this shift is designed to modernise government communication, improve efficiency, and strengthen accountability within public institutions.

She revealed that more than 100,000 official email accounts have already been created for civil servants using the GovMail platform. This initiative ensures that every civil servant now operates with an official government-issued email address, enabling secure, professional, and traceable communication across government offices.

The HCSF further clarified that no federal ministry will accept physical paper correspondence going forward. Instead, all official letters must be scanned and transmitted electronically through designated government email channels. This policy applies uniformly across ministries and departments, effectively ending the long-standing culture of paper-based documentation.

Expanding on the scope of the initiative, Mrs. Walson-Jack noted that the Federal Civil Service has extended its digital operations to 38 Ministries and Extra-Ministerial Departments (MEMDs). These include 33 ministries and five extra-ministerial bodies, such as the State House, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Federal Civil Service Commission, and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.

According to her, this development significantly enhances government control over official correspondence, improves response time among Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), and reduces reliance on unofficial communication platforms that may compromise data integrity.

Mrs. Walson-Jack also highlighted the financial benefits of the GovMail initiative, stating that it is saving the Federal Government billions of naira annually. These savings result from reduced dependence on fragmented, agency-specific external email subscriptions and licensing costs, thereby offering improved value for public funds.

She disclosed that discussions are ongoing with telecommunications service providers to ensure that internet access becomes more affordable for ministries and extra-ministerial departments. The goal, she explained, is to strengthen network reliability, which is critical for sustaining digital workflows across government offices.

In addition, the Federal Civil Service is developing a long-term, sustainable pricing structure to keep digital platforms affordable, scalable, and easy to maintain. This approach is intended to guarantee continuity of digital services while ensuring cost-effectiveness for the government.

To fully entrench this reform and eliminate manual bureaucracy, Mrs. Walson-Jack announced that physical registry submissions have been discontinued across all 38 ministries and extra-ministerial departments. All official communications must now be sent exclusively to the designated registry email addresses, which are publicly available on the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation’s official website.

She also revealed that members of the public can now track their submitted correspondence with specific ministries through the Federal Civil Service Paperless Portal, making the process more transparent and user-friendly.

In practical terms, the transition to a paperless civil service means that citizens, organisations, and international partners no longer need to send physical letters or envelopes when communicating with federal government offices. A scanned document sent via email—along with any required attachments—will now be sufficient for official engagement with any ministry or extra-ministerial department.

This move represents a significant shift toward a more efficient, accountable, and digitally driven public service system in Nigeria.