FG commends NSC’s digital initiative in marine, blue economy sector

…… urges ministries, MDAs to go paperless before end of 2025

Head of the Civil Service of the Federal, Mrs Did Esther Walson-Jack, has commended the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) for digitalising service delivery processes to boost growth in the marine and Blue Economy sector of the country.

She also called on ministries, agencies and departments to go paperless before the end of 2025, maintaining that the deadline for the implementation of the digitalisation policy remains sacrosanct.

Speaking at the launch of the Nigerian Shippers Council Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) in Abuja, Walson-Jack noted that digital innovation is no longer a luxury reserved for advanced economies.

“It is a defining infrastructure of national growth. It is the single most powerful equaliser available to developing nations, enabling them to leapfrog traditional constraints and embrace efficiency, transparency and accountability in the public service.

“We are moving decisively in this direction through the Federal Civil Service strategy and implementation plan 2021 to 2025. Incidentally, that plan comes to an end this year, and therefore the timeline given for all ministries and extra ministerial departments to go paperless, remains sacrosanct,” she stated.

Head of the Civil Service of the Federation acknowledged the executive secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Dr Pius Akutah, for “the kind invitation extended to me and for the sustained commitment to excellence that has made this milestone possible.

“I am especially delighted because this is the very first agency that has invited me to witness firsthand your alignment with ongoing reforms in the Federal Civil Service. I am very proud of the Nigerian Shippers Council for demonstrating leadership and forward thinking in this regard.”

She said the Nigerian Shippers Council, as you all know, is “the apex regulatory body responsible for protecting the interests of shippers, ensuring efficient and effective maritime trade, monitoring port operations, enhancing competitiveness and facilitating smooth logistics across the Nigerian marine and blue economy space, by coordinating the shipping industry and ensuring compliance with regulatory frameworks.

“The council contributes significantly to national trade facilitation, economic growth and revenue optimisation. As you all well know, the Federal Civil Service is currently undergoing a digital transformation and digitalisation.

“I dare say, the adoption and integration of digital technologies into all aspects of operations, fundamentally changing how organizations work, deliver services, manage information and interact with stakeholders is about transforming business models, increasing efficiency, ensuring transparency and improving decision making globally, maritime and trade sectors are increasingly digital.

“Leading economies leverage enterprise content management, systems automation, data analytics and artificial intelligence to drive efficiency, enhance transparency and maximise competitiveness. Nigeria must therefore align with these global best practices to remain relevant in the blue economic space,” Walson-Jack reaffirmed.

She explained that the Future of Public Service Administration is digital. “The future of trade facilitation, regulatory efficiency, safety, competitiveness and revenue optimisation is unquestionably digital”.

In his welcome address, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Dr. Pius Akutah, said, “It is my honour and pleasure to welcome you to the official launch of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council’s Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS).

“Today marks a transformative moment in our institutional history, as we take a decisive step toward building a paperless, efficient, and digitally empowered regulatory organisation.

“The ECMS is a core pillar of our digital transformation agenda. It is an internal workflow and records management tool designed to eliminate the delays, manual file movement, and bureaucratic bottlenecks that have long hampered public institutions. While it is not targeted at external stakeholders, it is an essential enabler of better service delivery to them.

“By improving the speed, accountability, and transparency of our internal processes, we are strengthening the foundation of our regulatory role within the maritime and blue economy sector.

“The system provides automated workflows, secure digital approvals, a unified archive of documents, and real-time performance dashboards.

“These features will ensure that tasks are executed promptly, responsibilities are clearly tracked, and information is safeguarded and easily accessible,” the ES stated.

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