The Federal Ministry of Environment has joined Nigeria’s national digital transformation drive with the official launch of the Galaxy Backbone 1Government Cloud Digitalization Program.
At the flag-off ceremony in Abuja, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, described the initiative as a major milestone in modernising environmental governance and advancing sustainability through technology. He said the programme marks a turning point in how government institutions operate, emphasizing that digitalisation is no longer optional but essential for efficient public service delivery.
“Through the Galaxy Backbone 1Government Cloud, we are enabling data-driven environmental management, eliminating paperwork, reducing operational costs, and directly cutting carbon emissions,” Lawal stated. He added that the project will enhance transparency, promote evidence-based policymaking, and improve service delivery to citizens while supporting Nigeria’s broader environmental and climate goals.
The Galaxy Backbone 1Government Cloud (1Gov) forms a key part of the Federal Government’s Sovereign Digitalisation Programme led by Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB). The initiative aims to digitise 70 per cent of federal government services by 2025, integrating Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) into a unified digital system.
Beyond service efficiency, the programme prioritises data sovereignty, ensuring that Nigeria maintains control over its digital assets instead of depending on foreign platforms.
By September 2025, several MDAs, including the Ministries of Solid Minerals, Steel Development, Foreign Affairs, Justice, and Intergovernmental Affairs—had already begun onboarding the 1Gov platform, signalling Nigeria’s transition to a more paperless and interconnected public sector.
The Permanent Secretary of the Environment Ministry, Mahmud Adam Kambari, commended the Minister for championing the digitalisation drive and praised the Galaxy Backbone team, led by Programme Director Wumi Oghoetuoma, for delivering a secure and indigenous platform for government operations.
Oghoetuoma described the initiative as a bold stride in Africa’s digital transformation journey. “The Galaxy 1Government Programme is leading public sector digitalisation in Africa, for Africa, by Africa. This is not just about technology; it is about protecting our digital destiny and sovereignty,” he said.
He explained that the 1Government Cloud hosts a suite of homegrown applications designed to replace fragmented and foreign digital systems.
These include GovECM (enterprise content management), GovDrive (secure file storage), GovESign (digital signatures), GovMail (official communication), GovInMail (secure inter-MDA messaging), GovConference (virtual meetings), GovAssetManager (asset tracking), and GovOTP (multi-factor authentication).
The Ministry of Environment has already gone live on the GBB 1Gov Enterprise Content Management System, with 15 offices and departments onboarded, 316 workflows created, and 890 user accounts activated.
Dr. Sam Nwosu, CEO of Secured Records Management Solutions Ltd, praised the project as evidence of Nigeria’s growing capacity to develop world-class digital infrastructure.
He described it as a major step toward technological self-reliance, reinforcing the country’s commitment to sustainable, transparent, and efficient governance.
