Ogun moves to place MDAs on unified sovereign cloud

The Ogun State Government has begun the process of digitising and migrating the operations of its Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to a unified Sovereign Cloud platform.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Dayo Abiodun, disclosed this during a two-day strategic workshop organised for heads of MDAs in the Ogun State Civil Service.

The workshop, held at the Ogun TechHub in Abeokuta, was organised by the state government in collaboration with GetFunded Africa (GfA) and the American Consulate.

Abiodun, who was represented by the Director of Standards, Regulations, Planning and Research in the ICT office, Mrs. Olatundun Adekunte, said the workshop was designed to familiarise participants with the new digital solution known as the Ogun State Sovereign Cloud, which will soon be hosted at the Ogun TechHub.

She explained that the Sovereign Cloud is a localised data centre that will unify government files, activities and revenue dashboards across all MDAs, thereby strengthening data security and eliminating jurisdictional risks associated with hosting government data on foreign servers.

According to her, the initiative represents a major step in the state government’s drive towards digital transformation and improved service delivery in the civil service.

“Over the years, cloud services have often been perceived as a mysterious place where data or documents are stored on foreign servers governed by foreign laws and jurisdictions,” she said.

“But Ogun State is changing that narrative by bringing the cloud home to Ogun TechHub in Abeokuta. The histories and sensitive documents of all MDAs will remain within our borders and under our direct supervision.”

She added that the Sovereign Cloud platform developed in partnership with GetFunded Africa is equipped with military-grade encryption and multi-factor authentication to ensure the security of government data.

“Every interaction on the platform will be logged, ensuring transparency, accountability and improved protection of government records,” she added.

In his remarks at the opening ceremony, the Ogun State Head of Service, Mr. Kehinde Onasanya, reiterated the government’s commitment to full digitalisation of the state civil service.

He said the workshop was organised to equip permanent secretaries and directors with the knowledge required to drive digital transformation within their respective MDAs.

Onasanya stressed that adopting digital solutions would enhance efficiency, improve record keeping and strengthen coordination across government institutions.

Responding on behalf of participants, the Permanent Secretary of the Hospitals Management Board, Dr. Olayinka Elemide, said the establishment of a local data centre would significantly improve communication and collaboration among government agencies.

She noted that the platform would also enable quicker access to official files and memos, thereby improving efficiency and service delivery within the civil service.

Similarly, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Mr. Olusegun Olaotan, commended the state government and its partners for initiating the project.

According to him, hosting all MDAs on a unified Sovereign Cloud platform is a proactive measure that will help prevent data breaches, safeguard government revenue records and protect classified documents.

He added that the initiative aligns with global best practices in digital governance and information management.