Electronic Governance and National Security in Nigeria

Abstract

Electronic Governance has become an important tool for arresting the continued sophistication of the 21st Century security administration. This explains why virtually all countries of the world are keying into the programme to help curb the difficulties arising from the digitalization and internationalization of violent crimes. The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has therefore become increasingly indispensable especially as it minimizes cost while encouraging efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery. However, while a lot of achievements have been recorded in other sectors of the Nigerian economy through the adoption of e-governance, its result in the security sector remains in doubt as the insecurity situation in the country especially in the north continues to deteriorate despite the application of ICTs in security administration. The study aims to know why the utilization of ICTs in security administration has not enhanced the protection of lives and property in Nigeria especially in the north. The work is a documentary research that utilized qualitative methodologies in collecting and analyzing data. Consequent upon this, the paper discovered that the use of ICTs in security administration has not enhanced the protection of lives and property in Nigeria because even the available security gadgets are grossly under-exploited and sabotaged. The study therefore concluded that until the Nigerian government begins to adequately exploit e-governance through installation, utilization and maintenance of ICT gadgets in the management of national security, the insecurity situation will persist.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2016.v7n6p363