The announcement comes as a technical rebuttal to concerns regarding the maturity of Nigeria’s internal digital infrastructure. GBB reiterated that the platform is a robust, sovereign environment designed to move the civil service away from fragmented, external email services and paper-based correspondence.

From 100k to 150k: Accelerating the Paperless Mandate

The drive for a digital civil service received a significant boost in late 2025 when Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, the head of the Civil Service of the Federation, announced the creation of 100,000 accounts.

In just a few months, that figure has jumped by 50%, reflecting an aggressive onboarding strategy.

Key Features of the GOVMAIL Infrastructure:

• Sovereign Hosting: All data is hosted on secure local infrastructure within Nigeria, ensuring data residency compliance.
• Tier-Grade Reliability: Powered by GBB’s National Tier III and Tier IV Data Centres.
• Security Oversight: Monitored via a dedicated Security Operations Centre (SOC) and Network Operations Centre (NOC) to prevent leaks and cyberattacks.

Closing the Gmail Gap in Public Service

For years, the use of private email providers like Gmail and Yahoo for official government business has raised red flags regarding national security and data protection.

GBB’s Identity Management” system under GOVMAIL aims to provide a verifiable audit trail for every official communication.

According to Chidi Okpala, head of Corporate Communications at GBB, the agency is now working with MDAs to close existing gaps.

The goal is to ensure that every single government worker has a professional, secure, and auditable digital identity.

“These coordinated efforts reflect the shared objective of equipping public servants with the digital tools necessary for responsive, efficient, and secure inter-agency communication,” Okpala stated.

Techeconomy observed that the migration to GOVMAIL is more than just a tech upgrade; it is a fiscal and security play.

By moving 150,000 workers onto a centralized local platform, the Federal Government is reducing the cost of paper bureaucracy and mitigating the risk of foreign intelligence intercepts on private mail servers.

For GOVMAIL to truly modernize the civil service, GBB must ensure 99.9% uptime and a user experience that rivals the global giants (Google and Microsoft) that civil servants are accustomed to using.

The milestone was formally highlighted at a press briefing led by Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, the head of the Civil Service of the Federation, who commended Galaxy Backbone for its sustained support and contribution throughout the implementation of the programme.

GBB has played a critical role in enabling this transition by providing secure, scalable, and shared digital infrastructure that supports the digitisation of government processes across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

Through the 1Government Cloud, MDAs have been empowered to migrate from paper-based workflows to digital platforms, improving efficiency, collaboration, data security, and service delivery across the Federal Civil Service.

In addition, GovMail, GBB’s secure government email platform, has strengthened official communication, enhanced records management, and reinforced cybersecurity standards, key pillars in sustaining a paperless operating environment.

Galaxy Backbone acknowledges the collective efforts of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Permanent Secretaries, Directors of ICT, consultants, partners, and dedicated public servants whose commitment and collaboration ensured the smooth delivery of this initiative.

Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, the managing director/chief executive officer of Galaxy Backbone, was represented at the press briefing by Akintayo Bamisaye, acting group head, Research, Digital Innovation and Skills Department (RDIS).

According to the statement signed by Chidi Okpala, head, Corporate Communications at Galaxy Backbone, GBB describes the achievement as a strong close to 2025 and reaffirms its commitment to supporting the Federal Government in building a modern, efficient, and digitally enabled public service.

This recognition came during a high-level working visit by the HCSF to Galaxy Backbone’s National Shared Services Centre (NSSC) and Corporate Headquarters in Abuja.

The visit was aimed at strengthening collaboration and evaluating the capacity of Nigeria’s core digital infrastructure in supporting the Federal Government’s public sector transformation agenda.

Mrs. Walson-Jack was accompanied by Mr. Adeladan Rafi’u Olarinre, the permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE), alongside other Permanent Secretaries and senior officials from the Office of the Head of Service.

During the tour, the delegation was shown GBB’s state-of-the-art facilities, including its Network Operations Centre (NOC), Security Operations Centre (SOC), and a Tier III Uptime Institute-certified Data Centre, each playing a key role in ensuring secure, scalable, and sovereign ICT infrastructure for Nigeria’s public institutions.

GBB Positioned as Backbone of Digital Governance

Speaking at the visit, Mr. Olarinre praised Galaxy Backbone as a critical enabler of Nigeria’s digital government vision.

“Today’s engagement demonstrates the important strides GBB has taken in establishing the infrastructure necessary for a digital-first public service,” he said. “It’s a chance to align MDAs with GBB’s platforms and deepen inter-agency collaboration.”

In his remarks, Professor Ibrahim Adeyanju, managing director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone, thanked the Head of Service for the symbolic visit, describing it as a validation of GBB’s mandate.

“This visit reaffirms the centrality of the civil service in our national transformation,” he said. “Our infrastructure, such as the 1Government Cloud, GovMail, and our fibre optic footprint across 28 states, is built to support an agile, secure, and digitally connected government.”

Prof. Adeyanju also highlighted the need for stronger cooperation with the Office of the Head of Service to promote adoption of GBB’s infrastructure across MDAs—especially leveraging existing fibre links in Federal Secretariat complexes and expanding Local Area Networks (LANs) within the FCT.

Civil Service Transformation: “From Paper to Digital”

Following a guided tour of GBB’s facilities, Mrs. Walson-Jack expressed deep admiration for the agency’s capabilities, describing her visit as an eye-opener.

“Galaxy Backbone is not just an ICT provider,” she said. “It is a strategic partner in our mission to build a modern, agile, and paperless civil service.”

She commended GBB’s role in critical projects, including:

• Support for the War Room
• Provision of high-speed fibre connectivity during the 2025 International Civil Service Week.
• Deployment of GovMail, now used by over 34,000 civil servants.

Reiterating her office’s commitment to achieving a fully paperless civil service by December 31, 2025, Mrs. Walson-Jack outlined key areas of collaboration with GBB:

• Full-scale deployment of the 1Government Cloud to host MDA operations.
• Adoption of an Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) to streamline records and workflow automation.
• Synergy between 1Government Cloud Academy and the Civil Service Academy for capacity building.
• Training on tools like Service-Wise GPT, Nigeria’s AI-driven solution for improving public service delivery.

Commitment to a Digitally Empowered Government

In a vote of thanks, Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim Sani, executive director of Finance and Corporate Services at GBB, expressed appreciation for the visit and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to working hand-in-hand with the civil service.

“We are honoured by this visit and even more inspired to deliver inclusive, resilient, and future-proof digital solutions for the Federal Government,” he said.

The visit marks a renewed momentum in aligning Galaxy Backbone’s digital infrastructure with the Federal Government’s public sector reform goals, underscoring the importance of technology as a foundation for transparent, efficient, and citizen-centric governance.

Govmail is the secure official email platform for Nigeria’s public sector. The training, which will be conducted in batches throughout the month of March 2025, aims to ensure maximum impact and effective knowledge transfer.

This initiative is in alignment with the Federal Government’s digitalisation agenda, which prioritizes secure, efficient, and technology-driven governance.

By equipping civil servants with the necessary expertise to optimize Govmail, the government is ensuring seamless communication across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) while strengthening data security and operational efficiency.

Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, the managing director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to driving Nigeria’s digital transformation through innovative and secure technology solutions.

“As the nation’s leading provider of digital infrastructure, GBB is playing a pivotal role in ensuring that government communications are secured, professional, and aligned with global best practices. This training will enhance civil servants’ ability to effectively utilize Govmail in carrying out their official responsibilities,” he stated.

The training is being conducted in collaboration with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), who has sent out a Circular to all MDAs informing them of this specialized training aimed at providing hands on experience with GOVMAIl features and ensure uniform adoption of and compliance with government approved digital communications standards.

This further reinforces the government’s commitment to a digitally-driven public service.

It would be recalled that the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation recently described Govmail as a ‘game changer’ for government communication.

This underscores the significance of the platform in enhancing inter-agency collaboration, data sovereignty, and information security across all MDAs.

Through this capacity-building initiative, GBB is reinforcing its role as a key enabler of Nigeria’s digital transformation journey, ensuring that public sector professionals are well-equipped to harness the full potential of digital tools in their daily operations.

These include, Govmail, ServiceWise GPT and the Federal Civil Service Online Portal. These platforms, underscore President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to enhancing digital governance and driving innovation across the nation’s Federal Civil Service.

Govmail, an email platform developed and powered by Galaxy Backbone (GBB) is an innovative solution set to enhance communication, boost efficiency, and accelerate Nigeria’s digital transformation journey within the public sector.

Speaking at a meeting where the Govmail Interface was first officially presented and demonstrated to her, the Head of Civil Service expressed her excitement about the platform, stating, “GBB’s Govmail is unbelievably WOW! This is a game-changer for our nation’s civil service, streamlining communication and creating a secure path to other government digital services. With Govmail, we are truly embracing the future of digital governance.”

Govmail is a secure, Nigeria-centric email platform designed by a team from Galaxy Backbone, exclusively for public service professionals.

It ensures that all official communication are seamlessly managed while safeguarding Nigeria’s data sovereignty.

The initiative emerged as a key outcome of the Digitalisation War Room, established by Mrs. Walson- Jack, to drive the implementation of cutting-edge digital solutions in government.

Commenting on this milestone, Professor Ibrahim Adeyanju, the managing director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone, shared,

“We are immensely proud to have developed this revolutionary platform, ensuring that every Nigerian civil servant has access to a robust and secure communication channel. Govmail is not just about email—it’s about enabling productivity, efficiency, and sovereignty in governance. Galaxy Backbone remains committed to driving the digital transformation of Nigeria’s public sector.”

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo emphasized the strategic importance of the Govmail for the nation’s Civil Service stating that “Govmail significantly reduces the government’s reliance on foreign email platforms, cutting costs and addressing licensing challenges. This is a commendable achievement by the Head of Service and the leadership of Galaxy Backbone.”

Through GBB’s dedicated efforts, Govmail will rapidly roll out email accounts to over 70,000 Federal civil servants across Nigeria, ensuring every government professional is equipped with a secure communication platform in record time.

This initiative aligns with Nigeria’s goal of leveraging technology to build a digitally driven and globally competitive public service.