Electronic Governance and Public Policy in Nigeria: Problems and Prospects

Abstract

This paper aims to investigate the potential roles, prospects, and challenges associated with technology-driven governance in Nigeria. The focus is on exploring how technology can be harnessed to address Public policy issues within the Public Policy making sector. The Nigerian government's liberalization of the telecommunications sector and the widespread adoption of smartphones have significantly increased internet usage across the country. The review primarily focused on secondary sources of data such as journals, textbooks and internet sources. The study adopts the Gartner's group model (2000) as its theoretical framework, the model delineates the evolutionary stages of e-governance strategies, providing a framework to understand how technology adoption and policy implementation intersect within the context of public administration. Examining the problems encountered in public policy and e-governance implementation, this study highlights issues like weak policy formulation, resource constraints, and collaboration challenges. Conversely, it illustrates the promising prospects, emphasizing streamlined information management, improved transparency, collaborative partnerships, and increased citizen participation. This synthesizes a myriad of scholarly perspectives, providing a robust foundation to comprehend the nuanced dynamics of e-governance, public policy, and service delivery, underpinning their critical role in modern governance structures.