Electronic Governance and Public Service Efficiency in Lagos State

This study assesses the impact of electronic governance initiatives on public service efficiency in Lagos State, examining the digitisation of service delivery processes including land registration, tax administration, and vehicle licensing conducted between 2019 and 2023. Electronic governance has been promoted across Nigerian states as a strategy for reducing corruption, improving service quality, and expanding citizen access to government services, with Lagos State regarded as a frontrunner in digital government adoption. Using a mixed-methods design combining user satisfaction surveys administered to 360 service recipients and interviews with public service administrators, the study evaluates whether e-governance investments in Lagos have delivered measurable efficiency improvements and reduced opportunities for corrupt intermediation. The e-governance theory and digital public administration framework are applied to assess the relationship between technology adoption and governance outcomes. Findings indicate that electronic service delivery platforms in Lagos State have reduced processing times, limited face-to-face corruption opportunities, and improved revenue collection across the programmes studied. However, significant exclusion effects are observed among elderly, rural, and low-income users who lack digital literacy or reliable internet access, raising equity concerns about the inclusiveness of digital governance. Recommendations include targeted digital literacy programmes, offline service access alternatives for marginalised users, and independent performance auditing of e-governance contracts to prevent technology procurement corruption. Keywords: electronic governance, public service efficiency, Lagos State, digital government, e-governance