The Federal Government has announced that it has gone paperless in the Ministry of Interior with the official launch of the Interior Electronic Records and Archiving System (INTERAS), an 8.3 petabyte tier-4 data centre electronic workflow hub.
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made this known at an event to mark the launch of the initiative and the commissioning of the ministry’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Room, in line with the “Go-Live Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system of the federal government,” yesterday in Abuja.
He said that with the introduction of the tier-4 data centre, the Ministry of Interior has beaten the December 31st deadline set by the federal civil service to go paperless, meaning that no file or documentation will be done on paper in the ministry, and this will boost efficiency in the civil service by ensuring a fast, safe, and secure way of doing business with the government.
The minister said, “For us in the Ministry of Interior, this is only the beginning. We will not stop until the ministry is fully automated and all its agencies are integrated into INTERAS.”
He further explained that INTERAS ushers in an era of mobile service delivery because
“We have built an 8.3 petabyte, Tier-4 data center to ensure government retains ownership of its data, powered by solar for sustainability. This is the culture we are building, a private sector mindset in the public sector, anchored not on individuals but on strong institutions.”
The minister further explained that INTERAS ushers in an era of mobility in service delivery, which eliminates a system plagued by unnecessary delays as government processes are handled through the movement of physical files.
He adds, “As an IT person myself, I fully understand the value of INTERAS. My policy has always been that no file stays overnight on my desk. With this system, I can now work on the move, run a mobile office, and process documents faster and more efficiently.”
Noting that all the agencies under the ministry will be linked to the e-workflow, Dr. Tunji-Ojo said, “This solution is not isolated. Our Citizenship and Business Department is now fully automated. You apply online for citizenship, business permits, or even marriage licenses. No more paperwork.
“Similarly, quota administration is now fraud-proof through harmonized data with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), and we issue electronic CERPAC (Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card) instead of manual forms that once forced applicants to travel across local governments just to make purchases.
“Our borders are now monitored with advanced surveillance and the United Nations-mandated Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS), which allows us to know who is entering Nigeria before they arrive. Immigration profiling is now objective and data-driven.”
Speaking on the significance of going paperless in the civil service with regards to digital reforms, Head of the Civil Service (HOS) of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, said INTERAS is a shift from manual to digital transformation in line with global best practices.
She commended the Minister of Interior for going ahead with the ECM through the introduction of INTERAS, noting, “By steering the Ministry of Interior to become the 18th ministry to go live on the ECM platform, you have proven that with vision, teamwork, and commitment, digital transformation is achievable. This is no small feat, and I applaud you and your entire team with pride and admiration.
“The Ministry of Interior has become a model of innovation and efficiency in the public service. You have demonstrated vision in digital reforms, modernizing passport issuance, streamlining visa and residence permit applications, and strengthening border management systems.
“These efforts have touched millions of lives directly, including ours, when guests from outside the country were able to obtain visas seamlessly and in record time.”
Walson-Jack stated that achieving a paperless civil service in Nigeria by December 31 is a realistic goal. She noted that the occasion marks more than just a milestone for the ministry, as it directly supports President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes an efficient, transparent, and digitally driven public service.
She added that with the introduction of the INTERAS platform, the Ministry of Interior is offering a preview of a future where government services are streamlined, civil servants are better equipped, and citizens benefit from improved service delivery.
On her part, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, said that INTERAS means that government is hosting everything about the Ministry of Interior online.
She said, “This epoch-making development is not merely an operational upgrade. It is a defining milestone that stamps the Ministry’s name on the map of progressive governance and strategic foresight. Indeed, this is the quintessence of visionary leadership—leadership that does not only respond to the present, but boldly prepares for the future.
“In administrative palace, INTERAS is a policy watershed, an institutional innovation that will serve as a framework for efficiency, accountability, and continuity. It embodies the Ministry’s drive to move beyond rhetoric into tangible, transformative outcomes that resonate across every level of its operation. This landmark is a reminder that great institutions are built by foresight, not by chance.”
Dr. Ajani noted that with INTERAS going live, the ministry has once again shown that it is not just keeping pace with the times, but is setting the pace.
“So we are hosting everything about the Interior, 100% on a government platform. This couldn’t have happened without the Honorable Minister’s mission and his efforts in ensuring that the NIS data center was built. It’s probably one of the largest we have. We don’t necessarily need the internet to work, but once we step outside, we can now get on the internet and work from anywhere in the world. To be able to get to the state that we are at, it took close to nine months to achieve this,” she said.
“We do not have all the computers we need, but we have 275 computers right now. The Honorable Minister approved the procurement of 180 computers in the 2024 budget. We earlier had 95 functional computers, making it 275. We will be procuring more in 2025.”
Explaining the workings of the e-workflow, ICT team member of Zimedi Consult, managers of the e-hub, Abiodun Akinsola, said the INTERAS interface is designed to give different level access with various features such as circular section within the ministry, profile as per hierarchy, file feature as per department, out-of-office request, registry, and payment voucher, among others.
