Technology Initiative and the Performance of the Public Sector in Abuja, Nigeria

Federal government of Nigeria is revolutionizing its public service by introducing e-governance in its operations. This study therefore examined the effect of this new technology on the performance of the public sector in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Specifically, the study determined the effect of e-governance on improved service delivery in public sector organizations in Abuja; investigated the effect of e-governance on improved transparency and accountability in public sector organizations in Abuja; and examined the challenges facing e-governance operations in public sector organizations in Abuja. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. It was quantitative field survey research that made use of questionnaires. The study had a population of 1002 drawn from four public sector organizations in Abuja that have embraced e-governance in its operations. With Freud and Williams’s statistical sampling formula, this huge population was reduced to a researchable sampling size of 347. Independent t-test tool was used in the testing of the hypotheses leading to the findings. The study found that e-governance operations have a positive significant effect on service delivery and transparency and accountability in public sector organizations in Abuja. The study also found that challenges such as low digital literacy and infrastructure deficit inhibit e-governance operations in public sector organizations in Abuja. As a way out of this, the study recommended for a robust investment in ICT infrastructure by the government to expand its ICT infrastructure. It called also for capacity building of public servants so they can efficiently use e-governance tools and improve their service delivery functions more. Keywords: Technology, E-governance, Performance, Public Sector, Service Delivery, Transparency, Accountability