In a move that underscores its pivotal role in Nigeria’s digital transformation, Galaxy Backbone (GBB) Limited has been reaffirmed as a strategic partner in civil service digitalization reforms.
This affirmation was made by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, during a recent visit to GBB’s National Shared Services Centre (NSSC) and Corporate Headquarters in Abuja.
The visit, aimed at deepening collaboration and assessing the technological infrastructure supporting the government’s ongoing digitalization reforms across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), saw Mrs. Walson-Jack accompanied by Mr. Adeladan Rafi’u Olarinre, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE), along with a delegation of Permanent Secretaries and Directors from her office.
The delegation toured GBB’s cutting-edge Digital Infrastructure facilities, including its Network Operations Centre (NOC), Security Operations Centre (SOC), and Uptime Institute Certified Tier III Data Centre. These facilities are designed to ensure a secure, scalable, and sovereign digital infrastructure for Nigeria’s public sector.
Mr. Adeladan Rafi’u Olarinre emphasized GBB’s status as a critical institution under FMCIDE, tasked with providing the nation’s core digital infrastructure and shared ICT services. He stated that the visit was an important opportunity to showcase GBB’s significant progress in building the infrastructure necessary for a truly digital government, fostering stronger alignment and collaboration between MDAs and GBB.
Professor Ibrahim A. Adeyanju, Managing Director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone, expressed appreciation for the visit, highlighting its alignment with GBB’s mandate to support Nigeria’s digital transformation goals. He stressed that the visit reinforced the central role of the Civil Service in national development and the importance of strategic ICT infrastructure in driving effective governance.
Professor Adeyanju further noted that GBB’s mission to design, build, and manage Nigeria’s digital infrastructure seamlessly aligns with the Civil Service’s digital reform agenda. He highlighted GBB’s platforms, including the 1Government Cloud, GovMail, and an extensive fiber optic network in 28 states, as crucial for a digitally enabled, secure, and efficient government. He also called for greater collaboration to drive the adoption of GBB’s infrastructure, particularly the fibre optic connectivity in Federal Secretariat buildings, and sought support for expanding Local Area Networks (LANs) in FCT secretariat buildings to integrate more MDAs into the digital ecosystem.
Mrs. Walson-Jack lauded GBB’s world-class infrastructure and strategic digital solutions, stating that her perception of the agency had been greatly enhanced. “This visit has opened my eyes to the enormous potential and capacity that Galaxy Backbone brings to Nigeria’s digital journey,” she remarked. “I now see GBB not just as an ICT agency, but as a strategic partner in the realisation of our dream to build a modern, agile, and paperless civil service.”
She specifically commended GBB’s support for the “War Room” initiative, the widespread deployment of GovMail (serving over 34,000 civil servants), and the provision of high-speed fibre connectivity during the 2025 International Civil Service Week.
Reiterating her office’s commitment to achieving a fully paperless civil service by December 31, 2025, the HCSF expressed optimism that this goal is attainable with stronger collaboration and technical support from GBB. She highlighted several critical areas for partnership:
- Full implementation of the 1Government Cloud for MDA operations.
- Adoption of an Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) to streamline records and workflow automation.
- Synergy between the 1Government Cloud Academy and the Civil Service Academy for capacity development.
- Training and onboarding civil servants on innovative tools like Service-Wise GPT, Nigeria’s AI-powered platform for public service delivery.
Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim Sani, Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Services at GBB, expressed gratitude for the visit and reaffirmed GBB’s unwavering commitment to partnering with all stakeholders to deliver inclusive, resilient, and forward-looking digital solutions for the Federal Government.