By Abdullahi Idris, Dutse — Receives Digital Governor of the Year Award from Bureau for Public Service Reforms Governor Umar Nam...
By Abdullahi Idris, Dutse
— Receives Digital Governor of the Year Award from Bureau for Public Service Reforms
Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has been honoured with the Digital Governor of the Year 2025 (North-West Region) Award at the Nigeria GovTech Public Service Awards, organised by the Bureau for Public Service Reforms (BPSR) under the Presidency.
The ceremony was held at the State House Old Banquet Hall, Abuja, and recognised outstanding leaders driving innovation and digital transformation in governance.
Governor Namadi was celebrated for his remarkable strides in digitising governance and modernising service delivery in Jigawa State. Under his leadership, the state established the Jigawa State ICT and Digital Economy Agency, a key institution for innovation and digital policy aimed at equipping young people for the emerging digital economy.
Other notable recipients of the award include Dr. Alex Otti (Abia), Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), and Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang (Plateau), all honoured for excellence in public service delivery.
The event, themed “Redefining Possibilities: Harnessing Emerging Technologies for Public Service Delivery and Socio-Economic Development,” aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which underscores the role of technology in advancing governance and national development.
In his acceptance speech, Governor Namadi expressed deep gratitude to Allah (SWT) for the recognition, saying:
“First and foremost, I am deeply grateful to Allah (SWT) for this moment, when I was presented with the prestigious Nigeria GovTech Public Service Award as the Digital Governor of the Year 2025 (North-West Region). It is by His grace and guidance that we have achieved so much in promoting ICT and the digital economy, significant enough to be recognised with this honour.”
He also commended the Bureau for Public Service Reforms and the Nigeria GovTech Awards Committee for their professionalism throughout the nomination and screening processes.
“I believe this recognition is not just a personal honour but a testimony to the collective dedication, innovation, and resilience of the entire Jigawa State team,” he said.
Governor Namadi noted that his administration remains committed to leveraging ICT to deepen e-governance, transform the state’s public service, create jobs, and expand opportunities for the youth.
“We will remain steadfast and committed to this endeavour as we implement all aspects of our 12-Point Agenda, which aligns with and complements the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR,” he stated.
The governor reaffirmed that ICT development remains a central pillar of his administration’s policy direction.
“Promoting ICT is a top priority for us. Our objective is to reclaim Jigawa’s past glory as a pacesetter in e-governance and ICT-driven socioeconomic development,” he said.
Highlighting key achievements, Namadi listed the formulation of a robust ICT Policy and Strategy, the establishment of the Jigawa State ICT and Digital Economy Agency, and the revival of the long-dormant Galaxy ITT Limited—the precursor to the Federal Government’s Galaxy Backbone—through new investments to support digital transformation.
He added that over 1,000 youths have been trained in digital outsourcing initiatives to create jobs, while another 1,000 civil servants received ICT training to enhance e-governance across the state.
The governor further disclosed that in March 2025, the state unveiled Jigawa OneAPI, an Application Programming Interface (API) platform designed to facilitate secure and seamless digital services within and across government institutions.
“This recognition is a great source of inspiration as we deepen our investments in ICT to accelerate the attainment of our vision,” he added.
Governor Namadi concluded by appreciating the award organisers and reaffirming his administration’s commitment to inclusive development.
“We shall remain focused and steadfast in our resolve to continuously improve the social and economic well-being of our people, responsively and inclusively, for present and future generations of Jigawa State,” he said.
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