Federal Government has officially transitioned the Ministry of Interior to a paperless system with the launch of the Interior Electronic Records and Archiving System (INTERAS), an 8.3-petabyte Tier-4 data centre e-workflow hub.
Gatekeepers News reports that Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the development yesterday in Abuja during the commissioning of the ministry’s ICT Room and the unveiling of the new digital system, part of the government’s Enterprise Content Management (ECM) initiative.
He said the adoption of INTERAS means that no files or documentation will be handled manually within the ministry, months ahead of the federal civil service’s December 31 deadline for going paperless.
“For us in the Ministry of Interior, this is only the beginning. We will not stop until the ministry is fully automated and all its agencies are integrated into INTERAS,” Tunji-Ojo said.
The minister explained that the system would ensure efficiency, sustainability, and improved data security.
“We have built an 8.3-petabyte, Tier-4 data center to ensure government retains ownership of its data, powered by solar for sustainability. This is the culture we are building—a private sector mindset in the public sector, anchored not on individuals but on strong institutions,” he said.
Highlighting its impact on service delivery, he added:
“As an IT person myself, I fully understand the value of INTERAS. My policy has always been that no file stays overnight on my desk. With this system, I can now work on the move, run a mobile office, and process documents faster and more efficiently.”
Tunji-Ojo said agencies under the ministry are already integrated into the platform. The Citizenship and Business Department now processes citizenship, business permits, and marriage licenses entirely online, while expatriate quota administration has been digitized to prevent fraud. The Nigeria Immigration Service is also linked to the platform, enabling the issuance of electronic CERPAC (Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card) and advanced border surveillance powered by the UN-mandated Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS).
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, described the launch as a landmark reform.
“By steering the Ministry of Interior to become the 18th ministry to go live on the ECM platform, you have proven that with vision, teamwork, and commitment, digital transformation is achievable. This is no small feat, and I applaud you and your entire team with pride and admiration,” she said.
She commended the ministry’s progress in passport issuance, visa and residence permit processing, and border management, noting that INTERAS directly aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for a transparent and digitally driven public service.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, said INTERAS represents far more than an operational upgrade.
“In administrative parlance, INTERAS is a policy watershed, an institutional innovation that will serve as a framework for efficiency, accountability, and continuity. It embodies the Ministry’s drive to move beyond rhetoric into tangible, transformative outcomes that resonate across every level of its operation. This landmark is a reminder that great institutions are built by foresight, not by chance,” she said.
Ajani added that INTERAS demonstrates the ministry’s leadership in digital transformation.
“So we are hosting everything about the Interior, 100% on a government platform. This couldn’t have happened without the Honorable Minister’s mission and his efforts in ensuring that the NIS data center was built. It’s probably one of the largest we have. We don’t necessarily need the internet to work, but once we step outside, we can now get on the internet and work from anywhere in the world. To be able to get to the state that we are at, it took close to nine months to achieve this,” she said.
She disclosed that the ministry currently operates with 275 computers—95 previously available and 180 newly approved under the 2024 budget—with more procurements expected in 2025.
Explaining the e-workflow’s structure, Abiodun Akinsola, ICT team member of Zimedi Consult, managers of the e-hub, said INTERAS provides role-based access and tailored features.
“The INTERAS interface is designed to give different level access with various features such as circular section within the ministry, profile as per hierarchy, file feature as per department, out-of-office request, registry, and payment voucher, among others,” Akinsola explained.
