The federal government has recorded a major milestone in its drive to reform and modernise Nigeria’s solid minerals sector with the formal launch of the OneGov Enterprise Content Management System at the headquarters of the Mining Cadastre Office (MCO) in Abuja.
Unveiled by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, on Friday, the digital platform marks a decisive shift from paper-based processes to a fully automated system designed to secure documents, eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks, and improve service delivery across the sector.
With the launch, the MCO has become the first agency under the ministry to fully deploy the OneGov system, setting a benchmark for other departments and agencies to follow.
Describing the development as “a monumental step that showcases new colours of success, progress and efficiency,” Dr. Alake said the adoption of digital tools has been central to the remarkable turnaround in the sector’s revenue performance.
According to him, reforms driven by transparency, digitisation, and stronger oversight have repositioned the solid minerals industry as a growing contributor to national income.
“When we came in, revenue was about six billion naira. We doubled that within a year, and this year we are almost tripling it,” the minister said.
He disclosed that sector-wide internally generated revenue rose from about N28 billion in 2024 to over N50 billion in 2025, already surpassing the N38 billion recorded last year.
Dr. Alake attributed the growth to the deployment of digital platforms such as OneGov, alongside new policies and tighter controls. He noted that the Mining Cadastre Office alone generated about N30 billion in 2025, compared with N12 billion in 2024, while revenues from the mines inspectorate and other departments have also recorded significant increases.
Giving a personal account of the transformation, the minister recalled a time when his office was overwhelmed with physical files.
“Today, with digitisation, I work from anywhere in the world with my iPad and iPhone. No files, no delays,” he said.
The minister, however, cautioned that technology must be matched with discipline, a new work ethic, and careful handling of high-end digital equipment to ensure sustainability and protect government investment.
On his part, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr Faruk Yusuf Yabo, described the MCO as a model of innovation within the public service, noting that the OneGov platform provides “a secure digital backbone for modern governance” that other departments should emulate.
In his welcome address, the Director-General of the Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office (NMCO), Engr Simon Obadiah Nkom, said the go-live of the OneGov system represents a major leap not only for the agency but for the country’s mining sector as a whole.
Nkom revealed that revenue generated by the MCO revenue increased from N6.17 billion in 2023 to N12 billion in 2024, and has already surpassed N30 billion in 2025, reflecting the impact of sector-wide reforms and strong ministerial support.
Nkom added that the digital platform enables faster approvals, unified document management, traceable transactions, enhanced data security and seamless collaboration among ministries, departments and agencies, reinforcing Nigeria’s position as a competitive and secure mining jurisdiction. He also noted that the reforms have earned the MCO recognition and awards from both public and private sector stakeholders for innovation and digitisation.
Representatives of Galaxy Backbone, the federal government’s ICT infrastructure provider, commended the MCO for aligning fully with the national digital agenda.
Mr. Gana Nsuba and the managing director of Galaxy Backbone, Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, confirmed that the MCO is the first agency in the ministry to go live on the OneGov platform and pledged continued technical support, including training and rapid resolution of early operational challenges.
They described the OneGov Enterprise Content Management System as a secure and robust tool that strengthens record keeping, improves workflow transparency and enhances collaboration across government institutions.
The event featured a live demonstration of the OneGov platform, with stakeholders reaffirming their commitment to deepening digital governance and sustaining the reforms that are reshaping Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.
