The convention of public service deliveries at the federal level in the Nigeria system of government is expected to be made seamless with the adoption of modern technology into the system.
A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by Ericsson with Galaxy Backbone-the public enterprise of the Federal Government of Nigeria incorporated, with primary mandate of setting up and operating a unified Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure platform, that addresses the connectivity, transversal and other technology imperatives for (MDAs) of the Federal Government.
The MoU reached and signed in Abuja by both parties, will now see Ericsson working in partnership with Galaxy Backbone, to design and deploy ICT based solutions and services for efficient public services deliveries at the MDAs.
This according to Chief Executive Officer, Galaxy Backbone Yusuf Kazaure the partnership is in line with keeping the Nigerian Government’s commitment to leverage ICT for job creation, improved security, economic diversification and social inclusion. It is also support the Minister of Communication’s vision to deploy e-Government as a tool to improve governance and efficiency in the delivery of quality public services.
He explained further that the trans-formative role of ICT for improved delivery of public services has become quite significant and in Nigeria Galaxy is at the forefront in terms of the provision of the infrastructure and services that empower MDAs to achieve their mandates through better service delivery to the citizens they serve”.
Under the terms of the partnership, spanning three years, Ericsson will serve as advisor, systems integrator and implementation partner for ICT based solutions and services covering the transport, utility and safety and security sectors.
Ericsson will also manage all deployed solutions and services while building capacity within Galaxy Backbone and partner public parastatals ensuring that all deployments are eventually handed over to the government along with selected private sector players.
Johan Jemdahl, Head of Ericsson Nigeria, says: “A recent report by Ericsson and the Earth Institute at Columbia University on the impact of ICT on sustainable development, calls on governments to harness technology, investment and new types of partnerships to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This partnership with Galaxy Backbone touches upon all of these criteria and places Nigeria on a clear path towards meeting the needs of a growing economy using ICT. This partnership also supports our vision of building a networked society in Nigeria and we are excited to be partnering Galaxy Backbone on this journey.”
Upon the finalization of scoping the required solutions, all involved parties will jointly agree on the investment business models that best suit what is required to most efficiently roll out this new vision. Additionally, the inclusion of outside participation from third party investors will be discussed and finalized.
