The Federal Government has directed civil servants and public institutions to discontinue the use of personal email accounts such as Yahoo Mail, Gmail, Hotmail, and other public email services for official government business, as part of efforts to strengthen cybersecurity and improve the management of official communications.
The directive mandates Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to adopt GOVMAIL, the Federal Government’s secure and centralized email platform developed for official correspondence within the public service.
The policy forms part of broader reforms being driven by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, led by Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, to accelerate digital transformation across government institutions and promote a more efficient, technology-driven public service.
Government officials said the move is aimed at protecting sensitive information, improving accountability, and ensuring that official communications are conducted through secure and verifiable channels under government control.
Unlike personal email platforms, GOVMAIL provides enhanced security features, centralized oversight, and comprehensive audit trails that help safeguard official records and reduce exposure to cyber threats.
The initiative also supports the Federal Government’s push toward a paperless civil service, with authorities emphasizing the need for uniform communication standards across MDAs.
Available data indicate that more than 150,000 official government email accounts have already been activated on the GOVMAIL platform, reflecting progress in the migration process and growing adoption among federal institutions.
Officials noted that the platform is expected to improve coordination among government agencies, streamline information sharing, and strengthen institutional record-keeping, while reducing dependence on third-party email providers.
The latest directive is consistent with earlier Federal Government policies aimed at enhancing digital sovereignty and ensuring that official government data remains within secure, government-managed systems.
Technology and governance experts have welcomed the development, describing it as a timely step toward improving cybersecurity standards across the public sector and protecting critical government information from potential breaches and unauthorized access.
As implementation gathers pace, civil servants are expected to transition fully to approved government email systems, marking another milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to modernize public administration through digital innovation.
