FG bars civil servants from using gmail, yahoo for official communications

…directs MDAs to migrate to govmail platform

By Adebola Isimijola, Lagos

The Federal Government has barred civil servants from using personal and generic email services such as Gmail and Yahoo Mail for official communications, directing Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to adopt the government’s secure GovMail platform for all official correspondence.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, announced the directive while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference in Abuja, saying the move forms part of ongoing reforms aimed at deepening the digital transformation of the Federal Civil Service.

Walson-Jack said the era of conducting official government business through personal email accounts had ended, stressing that civil servants are now expected to use only their institutional GovMail accounts.

“In December of 2024, we launched GovMail. GovMail is a secured platform that produces official email for civil servants,” she said.

According to her, more than 115,000 official GovMail accounts have already been activated to support the transition across the public service.

She explained that the initiative is designed to strengthen cybersecurity, improve the traceability of official correspondence and preserve the institutional memory of government by ensuring that official records remain within government systems even after an officer leaves office or is redeployed.

The Head of Service noted that the migration to GovMail is a key component of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, adding that the platform would enhance professionalism, accountability and efficiency in public sector service delivery.

She urged civil servants to embrace the digital platform as part of efforts to build a more secure, transparent and technology-driven public service.