Abuja: Jigawa, Adamawa, and Plateau governors have been honored with the Digital Governors of the Year award for their respective regions-North East, North West, and North Central. They received these accolades at the Nigeria GovTech Gala and Awards 2025, an event organized by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) in Abuja. The awards aim to recognize contributions from both public and private sectors, as well as individuals who have integrated digital services, thereby enhancing the national digital ecosystem.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Gov. Umar Namadi of Jigawa expressed satisfaction with the outcomes of their efforts in integrating e-governance, transforming public service, and utilizing technology for job creation and digital economic growth. He emphasized that promoting ICT remains a priority for Jigawa State, which aims to be a leader in e-governance and ICT deployment for socio-economic development. The state has established the Jigawa State ICT Development Agency, revitalized outdated facilities, and increased ICT investments to digitize its processes for improved service delivery.
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital received accolades as the best Federal Health Institution in Innovation and Use of Technology. Prof. Yusuf Jibrin, the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, also won a trailblazer award. He noted that the hospital’s technological innovations, such as the Electronic Medical Records (EMR) Integration with e-CMDS Platform and the establishment of an e-class for teaching and research, have been recognized.
Iris Smart Technologies was awarded the Digital Governance Company of the Year. Ms. Mina Lawson, the company’s Executive Director of Operations, stated that the firm remains committed to advancing ICT. The company is known for inaugurating the first digital passport scheme, contributing to the country’s shift toward a unified ID system.
Dr. Dasuki Arabi, Director-General of BPSR, highlighted how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated technology adoption worldwide. He expressed hope that Nigeria’s public services will rank among the top 20 globally in terms of digitalization and service quality within the next few years. Arabi emphasized that 99 percent of Nigerians outside the FCT should experience the benefits of digitized governance in public services.
Other notable awards included the Nigeria Meteorological Agency winning the best federal MDA in Open Data Excellence, and INEC securing the Best MDA in Cybersecurity Excellence category, among others.