E-Governance and Public Service Delivery in Nigeria’s Civil Service. A study of selected ministries in Akwa Ibom State

Abstract

This study examined the effect of e-governance on service delivery in the Akwa Ibom State Civil Service, with particular emphasis on e-capturing and e-documentation as key dimensions of digital governance. The study was motivated by the increasing need to leverage Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to enhance administrative efficiency, transparency, accountability, records management, personnel management, and public service delivery within the civil service. Specifically, the study investigated the effect of e-capturing on the reduction of ghost workers and the influence of e-documentation on the effectiveness of the filing and records management system in the Akwa Ibom State Civil Service. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The study population comprised 870 employees drawn from the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Lands and Housing and the Ministry of Science and Technology. Using the Krejcie and Morgan (1970) sample size determination table, a sample of 265 respondents was selected through a multi-stage sampling technique involving stratified, purposive, and simple random sampling. Primary data were collected using a structured four-point Likert-scale questionnaire, while secondary data were obtained from government publications, policy documents, textbooks, journal articles, and other relevant scholarly sources. Data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, mean scores, and standard deviations, while the hypotheses were tested using the Chi-square (χ²) statistical technique at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that e-capturing significantly reduced ghost workers by improving biometric verification, employee identification, personnel accountability, and payroll integrity (χ² = 96.54, p < 0.05). The study also found that e-documentation significantly enhanced the effectiveness of the filing system through improved electronic records management, document storage, retrieval, preservation, accessibility, and information sharing (χ² = 102.48, p < 0.05). The study concluded that effective implementation of e-governance significantly improves service delivery by strengthening administrative efficiency and institutional accountability. It recommended the institutionalization of comprehensive biometric personnel verification systems, expansion of electronic document management systems, continuous ICT capacity building for civil servants, and increased investment in digital infrastructure to sustain efficient and transparent public administration.