The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has called for comprehensive digital skills training across Nigeria’s civil service to ensure the success of the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda.
Lokpobiri made the call on Wednesday in Abuja during the launch of the Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) at the Ministry of Petroleum Resources. According to him, many public officials still operate in an “analogue” manner despite ongoing digital reforms.
He stressed that digital systems would fail without proper capacity building. Therefore, he urged the Office of the Head of the Civil Service to prioritise training for both ministers and civil servants.
Lokpobiri Warns Against ‘Analogue’ Work Culture
The minister said the government must address skills gaps across ministries, departments, and agencies. As a result, officials need structured training to fully adopt digital platforms.
“There are a lot of analogue civil servants. There are also a lot of analogue ministers,” Lokpobiri said. “So, you need to train everybody to maximise the opportunities available.”
His remarks followed comments by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, who recently admitted struggling to adapt to new digital work processes and called for additional training.
ECMS to Replace Manual, Paper-Based Processes
The ECMS, deployed on the 1Gov Cloud platform, aims to replace manual file handling with electronic approvals, automated workflows, and secure digital record management.
According to Lokpobiri, the system will reduce delays and operational costs. Moreover, it will speed up decision-making across government offices.
“Sometimes, people travel physically just to sign documents,” he said. “This initiative changes that narrative and aligns Nigeria with global best practices.”
Head of Service Explains Reform Timeline
Speaking at the event, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, said the ECMS rollout puts the petroleum ministry on track to meet the December 31, 2025 deadline for full digitalisation.
She explained that the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s public service reform agenda. In addition, it supports the drive for efficiency, accountability, and transparency.
According to her, digital platforms will strengthen record-keeping, improve audit trails, and enhance service delivery across MDAs.
Petroleum Ministry Joins Paperless Platform
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Patience Oyekunle, described the ECMS deployment as a decisive shift from manual operations to a modern digital system.
She said the reform would boost efficiency and institutional memory. Consequently, the ministry now joins a growing number of MDAs operating on paperless platforms.
The rollout forms part of broader efforts to modernise governance, reduce bureaucracy, and improve public service delivery nationwide.
