The 18th edition of the International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV 2025) concluded today in Abuja after four days of rigorous debate, knowledge exchange and strategic partnership-building that firmly positioned Nigeria at the forefront of conversations on the future of digital governance.
Hosted under the patronage of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and guided by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, the conference underscored Nigeria’s growing influence in shaping digital public infrastructure and governance reforms across Africa.
Established in 2007 to bring together academia, government, civil society, the private sector and global institutions, ICEGOV is coordinated by the United Nations University Operating Unit on Policy-Driven Electronic Governance (UNU-EGOV), headquartered in Guimarães, Portugal. Its mission remains to advance research-backed innovation at the heart of public sector digital transformation.
This year’s scientific programme reflected both depth and diversity. A total of 151 research papers were submitted by 308 authors from 33 countries, with 68% of contributors representing emerging economies. Nigeria led with 102 authors, followed by Brazil (34), India (30), Portugal (30) and Greece (11). After a rigorous review process, 23 ongoing papers, 41 full research papers, and 10 short papers were accepted.
The ICEGOV Best Paper Awards highlighted research with practical relevance to real-world challenges.
- In the Ongoing Research category, “Time and Complexity in Public Procurement of Digital Solutions: Evidence from Italian Municipalities” by Tommaso Giaccardi and Luca Gastaldi (Politecnico di Milano) emerged the winner, reflecting scholarly interest in the governance and operation of digital contracting systems.
- In the Full Research category, Robert Ifeonu of the Central Bank of Nigeria won for “Micro-Transformation Framework for Public Sector Innovation: Catalysing Resilient, Outcome-Driven Digital Governance”.
Other notable shortlist mentions included Khadijah Mohammed’s evaluation of Nigeria’s mobile banking landscape and a multi-country UN DESA study on public service delivery in fragile governments.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Professor Delfina Soares, Director of UNU-EGOV, expressed appreciation to the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, whose early support and coordination with government and academic partners ensured a seamless and impactful edition.
She noted that Abuja’s hosting of ICEGOV 2025 has “amplified Africa’s voice in shaping the digital governance agenda and demonstrated the continent’s readiness to lead in innovation that is inclusive, secure and sustainable.”
As delegates departed, the conference left behind more than papers and plenary notes. It sparked new research collaborations, government–industry linkages, and capacity-building partnerships aimed at ensuring that digital governance remains people-centered, resilient, and measurable in real-world outcomes.
ICEGOV 2025 ultimately reinforced a shared belief: the next chapter of digital transformation will be global in knowledge, but local in execution.
