E-Governance Response in Tackling Covid-19 in Nigeria
Authors
Ojo Ann David , Osawe Cyril Onyepuemu , Ibikunle Busayo QazeemDOI:
10.31289/perspektif.v11i3.7249Published:
2022-06-11Issue:
Vol. 11 No. 3 (2022): PERSPEKTIF - JulyKeywords:
E-governance, public service delivery, pandemic, COVID-19, governance.Articles
Downloads
How to Cite
Downloads
Metrics
Abstract
The outlook of governance in today’s world is such that any lag in the efficiency, timeliness and responsiveness of public service delivery can result in monumental loss, especially the loss of lives. This was the case with the emergence of corona virus disease (COVID-19) which took world governments, including Nigeria, unawares and necessitated a rapid global effort towards containing the spread of the virus. The notion of ensuring speedy and timely public service delivery was a primary reason for the adoption of e-governance in Nigeria through the digitisation of government processes. Nevertheless, COVID-19 brought human activities to a grinding halt for the most part of the year 2020 as Nigeria, like other nations of the world, implemented a complete shutdown of public and private organisations and placed restrictions on gatherings. With immeasurable deaths and devastations followed by the era of the “new normal†where people were required to reduce possible human contacts, it was certain that e-governance would play a pivotal role in moving forward into the post-COVID-19 era. Adopting the expository research design, the study examines how e-governance could be effective, timely and responsive in addressing and managing the crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. Analyzing the data from published sources, the study arrived at the realization that e-governance in Nigeria have not been efficient, timely and responsive in handling the pandemic. Some factors that were identified as hindrances to e-governance in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria include lack of public trust in government handling of private data, endemic corruption, high cost of internet services, poor data management system, and so on. Based on the result, the study concludes that e-governance implementation in Nigeria is far from efficient, timely and responsive in addressing pandemics such as COVID-19 and urgent steps must be taken to address the afore-mentioned problems especially as the pandemic continues to linger. It was, therefore, suggested that policymakers be deliberate in establishing a committee that would draft an action plan on COVID-19, set up an e-governance technology development hub, establish a unified national data management system, and develop the political will to combat the virus headlong and record successes in containing the spread of the pandemic.
References
Abah, E. O. and Nwokwu, P. M. (2019). Problems and prospects of e-governance in an emerging state: The Nigerian example. Journal Of Humanities and Social Science, 24(9), Series. 9, 14-21.
Abasilim, U. D. and Edet, L. I. (2015). E-Governance and its implementation challenges in the Nigerian public service. AUDA, 7(1), 30-42.
Abayomi, A., Balogun, M. R., Bankole, M.,1, Banke-Thomas, A, Mutiu, B., Olawepo, J., Senjobi, M., Odukoya, O., Aladetuyi, L., Ejekam, C., Akinsanya, F. Emmanuel, M., Amodu, F., Ologun, A. Olusanya, A., Bakare, M., Alabi, A., Abdus-Salam, I., Erinosho, E., Bowale, A., Omilabu, S., Saka, B. Osibogun, A,, Wright, O., Idris, J. and Ogunsola, F. (2021). From Ebola to COVID-19: Emergency preparedness and response plans and actions in Lagos, Nigeria. Globalization and Health, 17(79): 1 – 10.
Abdulkareem, A. K. (2015). Challenges of E-government implementation in the Nigerian public service. Journal of Creative Writing, 1(4), 45-56.
Abdulkareem, A. K. and Ishola, A. A. (2016). E-government in Nigeria: Progress and prospects. Illorin Journal of Administration and development. 2(1), 59 – 67.
Adeyemo, A. B. (2011). E-government implementation in Nigeria: An assessment of Nigeria's global e-governance ranking. Journal of internet and information system, 2(1), 11-19.
Ajisegiri, W. S, Odusanya, O. O. and Joshi, R. (2020), COVID-19 outbreak situation in Nigeria and the need for effective engagement of community health workers for epidemic response, Global Biosecuirty, 1(4): 1 - 10.
Ajisegiri, W. S,, Odusanya, O. O., and Joshi, R. (2020). COVID-19 outbreak situation in Nigeria and the need for effective engagement of community health workers for epidemic response, 1(4).
Ali, M. G., Ahmad, M. O. and Husain, S. N. (2020). Spread of corona virus disease (COVID – 19) from an outbreak to pandemic in the year 2020. Asian Journal of Research in Infectious Diseases, 3(4), 37-51. DOI: 10.9734/AJRID/2020/v3i430135
Amzata, J., Aminu, K., Kolo, V. I., Akinyele,,A. A., Ogundairo, J. A., and Danjibo, M. C. (2020). International Journal of Infectious Diseases, 98, 1 – 8.
Anjorin, A. A. (2020). The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic: A review and an update on cases in Africa. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine,13(5), 199-203. DOI:10.4103/1995-7645.281612.
Anyanwu, M. U., Festus, I. J., Nwobi, O. C., Jaja, C. I. and Oguttu, J. W. (2020). A perspective on Nigeria’s preparedness, Response and challenges to mitigating the spread of COVID-19. Challenges, 11, 22, 1 – 15, doi:10.3390/challe11020022
Ata-Agboni, J. U. and Ifatimehin, O. O. (2021), E-governance and e-government: Rethinking public governance in Nigeria, within the context of COVID-19. Journal of Good Governance and Sustainable Development in Africa (JGGSDA), 6(2):54 – 59.
Awofeso, O. and Irabor, P. A. (2020), Assessment of government response to socioeconomic impact of COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. Journal of Social and Political Sciences, 3(3), 677-686.
Bassey, N. (2020). COVID-19 pandemic case study: Nigeria. Brussels, EU: Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung.
Bhuvana, M. and Vasantha, S. (2020). Role of information and communication technology (ICT) for rural development through e-governance initiatives. International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 24(8), 2705 - 2713. DOI:10.37200/IJPR/V24I8/PR280289.
Blom, P. P. and Uwizeyimana, D. E. (2020). Assessing the effectiveness of e-government and e-governance in South Africa: During national lockdown 2020. Research in World Economy, 11(5), 208 - 219. doi:10.5430/rwe.v11n5p208.
Brodeur, A., Gray, D. Islam, A., and Bhuiyan, S. J. (2020). A literature review of the economics of COVID-19. Discussion Paper Series, IZA DP No. 13411, IZA – Institute of Labour Economics, 1 – 63.
Ceesay, L. B. and Bojang, M. B. S. (2020). Embracing e-government during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond: Insights from the Gambia. Global Journal of Management and Business Research, 20 (13), 33 – 41.
Fatile, J. O. (2012). Electronic governance: ‘myth or opportunity for Nigerian public administration?’ International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences. 2 (9), 122 – 140.
Global Economics Prospects, (2020). Lasting Scars of the COVID-19 Pandemic. June, Chapter 3, 133 – 180.
Ilesanmi, O, and Afolabi A. (2020). Perception and practices during the COVID-19 pandemic in an urban community in Nigeria: A cross-sectional study. PeerJ 8:e10038, DOI:10.7717/peerj.10038
McKibbin, W. and Fernando, R. (2020). The global macroeconomic impacts of COVID-19: seven scenarios. Centre for Economic Policy Research, CEPR Press, London
Omeire, E., & Omerie, C. (2014). New wine in old wine skin: An exploration of major constraints to e-government implementation in Nigeriaâ€. European Scientific Journal, 10(14), 481–487.
Oni, A., Okunoye, A., & Mbarika, V. (2016). Evaluation of e-government implementation: The case of state government websites in Nigeria. The Electronic Journal of e-Government, 14(1), 48 - 59.
Oni, S. Oni, A., Ibietan, I. and Deinde-Adedeji, G. O. (2020). E-consultation and the quest for inclusive governance in Nigeria, Cogent Social Sciences, 6 (1), 1823601, DOI:10.1080/23311886.2020.1823601
Onuigbo, R. A. and Eme, O. I. (2015). Electronic governance and administration in Nigeria: Prospects & challenges. Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review (OMAN Chapter), 5(3), 18-26.
Oyeranti, O. and Sokeye, B. (2020). The evolution and spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria. CPEEL’s Covid-19, 2 Discussion Papers Series. Centre for Petroleum, Energy Economics and Law (CPEEL), University of Ibadan. 1 – 18.
Sampson, A., Bakht, H. and Desta, A. (2019). Challenges to e-government implementation in developing countries. Nigeria case Study. Journal of computing and management studies, 2(3). 1 – 16.
Surico, P. and Galeotti, A. (2020). The economics of a pandemic: The case of COVID-19. London Business School. Wheeler institute of business and development. economic research council, 1 - 92.
Ullah, A. Pinglu, C., Ullah, S., Abbas, H. S. M., and Khan, S. (2021). The role of e‑governance in combating COVID‑19 and promoting sustainable development: A comparative study of China and Pakistan. Chinese Political Science Review, 6:86–118. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41111-020-00167-w
USAID (2021), COVID-19 situation analysis crisis type: Epidemic. Main Implementing Partner, USAID.
Wadhwa, M. (2020). E-governance in healthcare sector in India. CSD Working Paper Series: Towards a New Indian Model of Information and Communications. Technology-Led Growth and Development. ICT India March 2020, 1 – 24.
World Health Organisation (2021). Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Situation Report, 198, 1 – 19.
Yadav, N., and Singh, V. B. (2012) E-Governance: Past, present and future in India. International Journal of Computer Applications (0975 – 8887), 53(7): 36 – 48.
Yakubu. Y. (2019). Contextual challenges of planning and implementing e-governance in Nigeria. International Journal of Current Innovations in Advanced Research, 2, (5): 1-5.
Author Biographies
Ojo Ann David, Lagos State University
Osawe Cyril Onyepuemu, Lagos State University
Ibikunle Busayo Qazeem, Lagos State University
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (Refer to The Effect of Open Access).