The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, has announced that all federal ministries in Nigeria have officially transitioned to a paperless system.
Speaking to the press on Wednesday, she revealed that over 100,000 official email accounts have been created for civil servants via the GovMail platform, ensuring secure, professional, and auditable communication across government institutions. From now on, ministries will no longer accept physical letters, but only scanned correspondence sent through the designated official email addresses.
Walson-Jack explained that the paperless initiative covers 38 Federal Ministries and Extra-Ministerial Departments (MEMDs), which include 33 Ministries and five key extra-ministerial offices such as the State House, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Federal Civil Service Commission, and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
“This shift strengthens oversight over official correspondence, improves responsiveness across MDAs, and reduces reliance on unofficial communication channels,” she said.
The HCSF further highlighted the cost-saving benefits, noting that GovMail eliminates the need for multiple external email subscriptions, saving the Federal Government billions of Naira annually while delivering better value for money. Efforts are also ongoing with telecommunications providers to ensure affordable and reliable online access for all ministries and departments.
To reinforce the paperless culture, citizens are now required to send all correspondence via the official registry email addresses, which are listed on the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation website. Additionally, the Federal Civil Service Paperless portal allows the public to track their communications with individual MEMDs.
In essence, the new system allows citizens and organizations to communicate with the federal government without sending physical letters, simplifying interaction and improving efficiency across all government agencies.
