FG Ends Personal Emails for Official Transactions, Activates 115,000 GovMail Accounts

The Federal Government has officially ended the use of personal email accounts, including Yahoo Mail and other non-official platforms, for government transactions, directing civil servants to migrate to a secure institutional communication system.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, announced the policy in Abuja during a Digital Transformation Summit organised to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Galaxy Backbone.

She disclosed that more than 115,000 active official GovMail accounts have already been deployed across the Federal Civil Service to ensure secure, traceable and professional communication within government institutions.

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According to Walson-Jack, government operations can no longer rely on personal email accounts, informal communication channels and fragmented record-keeping systems.

“Government business cannot continue to depend on personal email addresses, informal channels, and scattered records,” she said.

“Thanks to Galaxy Backbone, the days of Yahoo Mail are over for transacting government business. When an officer leaves a desk, government information must not leave with that officer; institutional memory must remain within government.”

The Head of Service further revealed that the Federal Government achieved a major digital milestone by fully digitising the work processes of all 38 federal ministries and extra-ministerial departments before the end of December 2025.

She described the accomplishment as evidence that meaningful reforms can be achieved when there is clear leadership, institutional commitment and a shared vision for transformation.

Reflecting on the challenges of the traditional paper-based system, Walson-Jack noted that government files were often delayed, misplaced or trapped in bureaucratic processes.

She explained that digitalisation has introduced greater accountability, transparency and efficiency into public administration.

“For us in the Federal Civil Service, digitalisation is not a slogan or a ceremonial project but a practical reform aimed at improving the way government works,” she said.

“The paperless civil service is not about removing paper for the sake of removing paper. It is about removing delay, reducing avoidable bureaucracy, strengthening transparency, and ensuring that government work can be tracked, measured, retrieved and delivered with speed.”

Walson-Jack commended Galaxy Backbone for providing critical digital infrastructure, including the iGovernment Cloud platform, GovMail services and high-speed internet connectivity that support government operations nationwide.

“You are not simply providing technology; you are supporting governance, enabling continuity and helping government to work as one connected system. No digital government can stand without a strong backbone,” she added.

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone, Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, said digital data has overtaken crude oil as one of the world’s most valuable resources.

He urged the Federal Government to sustain and accelerate digital transformation initiatives capable of improving service delivery, enhancing productivity and positioning Nigeria for greater competitiveness in the digital economy.

The policy marks another significant step in the Federal Government’s drive to modernise public administration, strengthen institutional memory and resuscitate efficiency across the civil service through technology-driven reforms.