In a renewed push to accelerate digital transformation across its civil and public service, the Edo State Government has trained more than 70 E-Governance Champions on the deployment and operational framework of its newly developed, state-owned e-governance platform, Edo Cloud.
The one-day intensive workshop, organised by the Office of the Head of Service, held at the John Odigie-Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA) in Benin City.
It brought together E-Gov Champions from various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), alongside technical experts and key stakeholders within the state’s digital governance ecosystem.
Participants were exposed to the platform’s enhanced features, improved user experience and deployment strategy, as Edo State positions itself to reclaim leadership among sub-national governments in Nigeria’s e-governance landscape.
Declaring the workshop open, Dr. Anthony Okungbowa, the Edo State head of Service, described Edo Cloud as a significant milestone in the state’s digital governance journey.
He explained that the training was designed to equip E-Gov Champions with the skills required to drive the phased rollout of the platform across MDAs, ensuring stability, efficiency and long-term sustainability.
Dr. Okungbowa clarified that the present administration did not abandon e-governance but undertook a comprehensive review of the former system due to structural limitations, including intellectual property constraints and restricted backend access, which prevented the state from exercising full control over its digital infrastructure.
According to him, Governor Monday Okpebholo found it unacceptable for Edo State to “breathe through the nostrils of another,” prompting the decision to develop a fully state-owned platform that guarantees data sovereignty, unrestricted backend access and long-term resilience.
Commending the technical team led by Dr. Benjamin Ben, the Head of Service noted that Edo Cloud is more robust, secure and user-friendly than the previous system.
He also acknowledged the role of E-Gov Champions in Edo State’s early success as one of Nigeria’s first states to implement a paperless public service.
Urging the champions to take ownership of the project, Dr. Okungbowa stressed that resistance to digital transformation often arises from limited understanding and poor communication.
He encouraged them to act as ambassadors of the new platform within their MDAs, highlighting its benefits in improving transparency, accountability, service delivery and citizen engagement, while significantly reducing paperwork.
“E-governance was not stopped by this administration. What His Excellency did was a necessary review of the former structure, leading to a more advanced and sustainable solution,” he said.
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs, Dr. Peter Osagie, described the current phase of Edo State’s civil and public service as a digital revolution.
He said the workshop was deliberately organised to ensure E-Gov Champions are well positioned to cascade knowledge and provide support across MDAs.
“This workshop is about charting a clear path forward, not just returning to e-governance, but surpassing what we achieved in the past,” Osagie stated.
Providing technical insights, Dr. Benjamin Ben explained that Edo Cloud delivers improved data control, a unified user experience, enhanced scalability and automated workflows.
He noted that the platform’s intuitive design would allow users to adapt quickly, adding that the training empowers E-Gov Champions to independently support colleagues within their MDAs.
“With this approach, there will be no need for micromanagement. E-Gov Champions will support their communities, in line with the Governor’s directive that public servants should work independently and efficiently,” he said.
Also speaking, the Head of IT Infrastructure and System Engineering at the Edo State ICT Agency (ICTA), Engr. Courage Adaghe, emphasised that Edo Cloud is fully designed, built and maintained within the state’s technology ecosystem.
He explained that its modular architecture allows for continuous upgrades and expansion by in-house teams.
“The platform is a one-stop digital solution for public service operations. It is secure, flexible and sustainable,” Adaghe said.
Representing participants, an E-Gov Champion from the Edo State Social Investment Programme Office, Mr. Ogbewe Osaro Anthony, commended the Governor for approving a fully state-owned e-governance platform.
He described Edo Cloud as richer in content, more flexible and better aligned with public service operations, noting its potential to boost collaboration and productivity across MDAs.
