The Federal Government has barred civil servants from using personal email accounts such as Yahoo Mail for official public-sector communication, directing them to adopt secure institutional platforms designed to protect sensitive data and strengthen accountability across ministries, departments, and agencies.
The policy is part of a broader push to enhance cybersecurity, improve record-keeping, and ensure that all official correspondence remains within regulated government systems.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoSF), Didi Walson-Jack, announced the directive yesterday in Abuja during a digital transformation summit marking the 20th anniversary of Galaxy Backbone.
Speaking further, dhe disclosed that more than 115,000 active official GovMail accounts have been deployed to support secure, traceable, and professional communication across the federal civil service.
“Government business cannot continue to depend on personal email addresses, informal channels, and scattered records,” she said.
“Thanks to Galaxy Backbone, the days of Yahoo Mail are over for transacting government business. When an officer leaves a desk, government information must not leave with that officer, institutional memory must remain within government.”
Walson-Jack also revealed that the Federal Government has achieved a major digital milestone by fully digitising operations across all 38 federal ministries and extra-ministerial departments before the end of December 2025.
She attributed the achievement to strong institutional commitment and consistent leadership, saying the civil service can achieve meaningful reform with clear direction.
She contrasted the old system, marked by missing files, delays, and misplaced documents, with the current digital structure, which ensures traceability, accountability, and measurable progress.
“Digitalisation is not a slogan or ceremonial project,” she said. “It is a practical reform to improve how government works.”
She added that the paperless system is not about eliminating paper, but about reducing delays, cutting bureaucracy, strengthening transparency, and improving how government work is tracked and delivered.
Walson-Jack further praised Galaxy Backbone for providing key digital infrastructure, including the iGovernment cloud, GovMail, and high-speed internet.