FG inaugurates inter-ministerial panel to rank MDAs’ websites

The Federal Government has inaugurated an inter-ministerial task team to oversee the 2026 ranking of websites of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, charging members to ensure objectivity, professionalism and transparency in the exercise.

The Director-General, Bureau of Public Service Reforms, Dasuki Arabi, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja at the 2026 Federal Government Scorecard for Ranking the Websites of MDAs.

Arabi said the exercise formed part of the government’s continuing public service reforms aimed at strengthening institutional accountability and improving service delivery to Nigerians.

“Today, for many reasons, in Nigeria, a government website is the first point of contact with public institutions. It is where citizens seek information, access services and engage with government,” he said.

He said the 2026 exercise would build on previous editions while introducing measures to improve the credibility, relevance and effectiveness of the assessment.

Arabi disclosed that the assessment process had been automated through a dedicated digital platform developed by GovTech Africa for public sector transformation.

“This is an important step in ensuring that government increasingly uses technology not only to deliver services, but also to measure performance and drive institutional improvement,” he said.

He, however, stressed that the integrity of the process remained more important than the technology supporting it.

According to him, the inter-ministerial task team comprises institutions with mandates covering public service reforms, digital transformation, digital government, digital infrastructure, data protection, communications, identity management, business environment, internet governance and open government.

He explained that the institutions were not competitors in the ranking but had been brought together to provide independent oversight and institutional assurance.

“The responsibility before the task team is therefore clear. To ensure that the approved methodology is applied consistently, that evidence is properly considered, that professional judgment is exercised objectively and that the integrity of this process is protected,” Arabi said.

He urged members of the task team to approach the assignment with impartiality, professionalism and fidelity to the approved methodology.

The BPSR boss also cautioned members to be careful in handling the exercise, recalling that previous rankings had attracted protests from governors and ministers.

“When the last results were released, governors were calling me, some were protesting, some were attacking me, ministers were calling, they were protesting, they were attacking. So please let’s try to be careful.

“Let’s try to handle this with more objectivity,” he said.

Also speaking, the Director of GovTech Africa, Fortune Toma, said the organisation’s partnership with the BPSR was aimed at bringing greater consistency, efficiency and evidence to the assessment of MDAs’ digital performance.

Toma said GovTech Africa had developed its flagship digital assessment platform, Atlas, specifically to support the 2026 federal government scorecard.

“Atlas is intended to bring greater consistency to how data is collected, how websites are assessed, how evidence is captured and garnered and how results are ultimately reviewed and released,” he said.

Toma noted that government websites had become a critical interface between citizens and the state, stressing that inaccessible, unreliable or outdated platforms could create friction between citizens and public institutions.

“A digital platform that is inaccessible, unreliable or outdated even creates friction between the citizen and the state. A platform that works well can surely improve access, save time and strengthen confidence in public institutions,” he said.

He said the task team had been deliberately constituted from institutions with relevant mandates and would serve as an independent institutional assurance mechanism for the exercise.