The Anambra State Government has stepped up its digital transformation drive with the deployment of 35 digital platforms and 29 ministry and agency websites designed to improve public service delivery, promote transparency and bring government operations closer to citizens.
The digital initiative, supported by the Anambra State ICT Agency, spans 13 critical service areas, including revenue collection, business and trade, land administration, transportation, healthcare, justice, infrastructure and citizen services.
The platforms were showcased in the Digital Anambra Platform Handbook, 2026 Edition, published by the State ICT Agency in November, with the handbook confirming that the digital services and websites were operational as of November 12, 2026.
The highlight of the unveiling was NORA, an artificial intelligence-powered system known as the Neural Operations and Response Assistant, which made a live appearance at the event, spoke before the audience and anchored the proceedings, leaving journalists, stakeholders and other guests impressed by its capabilities.
NORA’s live demonstration offered a practical illustration of how artificial intelligence is being integrated into Anambra’s governance architecture to make public services more accessible, connected and responsive.
According to the handbook, NORA communicates in both English and Igbo, responding to public enquiries using information drawn from approximately 89,000 passages of official government documents. Beyond citizen engagement, the AI assistant supports civil servants with administrative tasks, assists payroll and pension officers, helps process public complaints and provides project teams with information from live government records.
The agency, however, clarified that NORA does not exercise independent government authority, stressing that decisions involving public expenditure, official records and the release of government information remain subject to approval by designated human officers.
Speaking during the briefing, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Anambra State ICT Agency, Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, CFA, fielded questions from journalists and participants, providing insights into the agency’s digital transformation journey and the state’s efforts to leverage technology for more efficient governance.
Among the flagship initiatives is Smart Anambra, a central digital gateway through which residents can access various government services, including tax payments, business registration guidance, procurement information, vehicle administration, land-related services, official appointments and grievance submission.
The platform also allows citizens to track applications, assess service delivery and obtain government information without necessarily visiting physical offices.
Another major component is the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM 2.0), introduced on July 11, 2026, to strengthen accountability in public service delivery. The system assigns tracking numbers, designated officers and resolution deadlines to complaints submitted by citizens.
Under the mechanism, complaints are expected to be acknowledged within 24 hours and resolved within seven calendar days. Cases that remain unresolved are automatically escalated to ministry heads and subsequently to the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, which supervises the process.
In its transparency drive, the government has also deployed Solution Lens 2.0, launched on October 1, 2026, to provide citizens with access to information about public projects. The platform displays project locations, contractors, implementation stages and photographs, while enabling residents to report concerns and monitor government responses.
As of November 12, the handbook recorded 193 public projects on the platform, 129 of which had accompanying site photographs. It also features an interactive directory covering the state’s 21 local government areas and provides facilities for petitions, public debates, opinion polls and Freedom of Information requests.
The government has further introduced DocTracker to improve project monitoring and contract management. Initially developed for the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, the platform provides information on project stages, financial details, site activities, delays and payment procedures. It had 47 projects in its portfolio at the time of the handbook’s publication, with provisions for adoption by other ministries.
In public finance and personnel administration, the Anambra State Enterprise Payroll System (ASEPS) provides identity-based verification for civil servants and pensioners. Its features include biometric checks, self-onboarding, payslip generation, leave applications and payroll processing, with approval procedures and audit trails incorporated to strengthen accountability.
The digital transformation programme also covers revenue generation and business operations. The Anambra State Internal Revenue Service’s tax portal enables individuals and businesses to obtain an Anambra State Identification Number, access tax bills, make payments and verify receipts. Similarly, the electronic procurement portal provides public access to tender notices, procurement plans and contract awards.
Other digital services extend to vehicle registration and licence renewal, court processes, affidavit applications, property litigation searches, health facility accreditation and telemedicine.
Providing the technological backbone for the initiative is Anambra Cloud, the state’s digital infrastructure hosted in Abuja, with a backup facility in Lagos. Managed by the ICT Agency, the infrastructure incorporates encrypted connections, regular data backups and round-the-clock security monitoring.
The agency also stated that personal information collected through the platforms is protected in accordance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
The deployment of the digital platforms represents a major component of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo’s Solution Agenda, reflecting his administration’s ambition to use technology to improve institutional efficiency, expand access to public services and strengthen citizens’ participation in governance.
However, the long-term success of the initiative will depend on sustained public adoption, reliable digital infrastructure, effective data protection and the capacity of government institutions to respond promptly to requests, applications and complaints submitted through the platforms.
With the initiative, the Soludo administration is seeking to move government services beyond the limitations of physical offices by placing administrative processes, public information and accountability mechanisms within easier reach of citizens.
The message from the unveiling was clear: Anambra is embracing digital technology and artificial intelligence not merely as tools for modernisation, but as instruments for making governance more accessible, transparent and responsive to the people.