The Cross River State Government has officially flagged off the Civil Service Technology Empowerment for Capacity & High-performance (CIVTECH) Programme. This landmark initiative aims to empower 2,000 civil servants with in-demand technical skills, accelerating the state’s transition toward a fully paperless and digitally-driven public service.
Speaking at the launch, Great Ogban, Director-General/CEO of the Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (CRSMEDA), emphasized that the programme is part of an ongoing strategic effort to modernise the state’s administrative backbone. He noted that the initiative ensures the workforce is not just keeping pace with global trends but leading the charge in regional digital transformation.
In a keynote address titled ‘From Bureaucracy to Digital Excellence: Leveraging Technology for a High-Performance Civil Service,’ the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, lauded the state’s proactiveness.
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Represented by Dr. Aristotle Olumo, Director of Partnerships, the NITDA DG highlighted that Cross River’s goals align perfectly with the Federal Government’s roadmap. Key pillars of this national strategy include:
– Digital Literacy & Skills Development: Target of 30 million digitally literate Nigerians by 2027.
– Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): Creating seamless, interoperable systems.
– Automation: Transitioning from manual processes to AI-driven efficiency.
– Security: Strengthening cybersecurity and data protection frameworks.
The CIVTECH initiative is a significant step in the right direction,” Abdullahi stated. “It contributes directly to our goal of building a public service that is efficient, responsive, transparent, and citizen-centric.
The Head of Service, Mr. Orok Okon, expressed profound gratitude to the Governor for his unwavering commitment to human capital development. Highlighting the enthusiasm within the service, Mr. Okon revealed that there is already an “overflow of requests” from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to join the programme.
“This overwhelming interest underscores the necessity of this training,” Okon remarked. “I urge all selected participants to seize this opportunity to redefine their career paths and the future of our state.”
The launch comes at a pivotal time for Nigeria’s economy. In 2024, the ICT sector contributed nearly 20% to the nation’s real GDP, cementing its status as a primary driver of economic growth and stability. By investing in CIVTECH, Cross River State is positioning its workforce to contribute directly to this digital economy.
