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ECONOMIC IMPACT OF COVID 19 AND THE ROLE OF E-GOVERNANCE IN 

COMBACTING COVID 19 IN NIGERIA 
 

EZEOBELE, IZUCHUKWU ANTHONY 

Department of Philosophy Lagos, State University, Lagos. 

 

ANSELEM IKENNA ODO 

Department of Educational Foundations Philosophy of Education Unit 

Nasarawa State University, Keffi. 

+234813485726, anselmikenna4us@gmail.com 
 

 

NWOHA PETERMARY O. 

Tansian University, Umunya, Anambra State. 

pito4us@gmail.com 

07068999414 
 

 

Abstract 

In this advanced era, information technology should promote a knowledge based 

society. E -governance stands for electronic governance, a unification of 

information and communication technology (ICT) in all the operations to augment 

the potentials of the government to satisfy the requirements of the public. The 

imperativeness of this research is hinged on the role of e-governance in combating 

Covid 19 and for sustainable development. It examined the major factors to be 

considered on e- governance implementation, challenges involved in e-  

governance implementation in Nigerian public service. This study therefore, using 

analytic method seeks to examine how e- governance can help in combating Covid 

19 in Nigeria and the extent at which Covid 19 pandemic has affected the economy 

of the nation. This research discovers that a lot of harm has been done to Nigerian 

economy as a result of Covid 19 pandemic. It summits that if some factors are 

properly considered, e- governance implementation in Nigeria is a possibility. The 

paper recommends that the incumbent leadership should shun corruption and 

prioritize in the welfare of her citizens by considering the factors of e- governance 

implementation in Nigeria in order to make e- governance implementation a 

reality. 

Keywords: E-Governance, Economy, Covid-19, Combating and Nigeria. 
 

Introduction 

E-governance is a unification of information and communication technologies 

(ICT) in all the operations to augment the potentials of the government to satisfy 

the requirement of the local public. The concept of e-governance has been broadly 

defined especially as it relates to the public sector. In fact, researchers vary in their 

definitions of what e-governance is all about (Shilubane, 2001, Budhiraja 2003,Ojo 

2014). According to Shilubane (2001), e-governance is simply the use of the 

information communication technology (ICT) to carry out public services, that is 

to say, the Use of internet to ensure that services are delivered in a much more 

convenient, customer oriented and cost effective manner. Budhiraja (2003) define 

e-governance as the application of information technology to the process of 

government functioning in order to achieve simple, moral, accountable, responsive 

mailto:anselmikenna4us@gmail.com


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Aquino Journal of Philosophy, Vol. 1(2), 2021 

and transparent (SMART) governance. In a similar vein, Ojo (2014) also sees e- 

book governance as the application of information technology (ICT) by the 

government to enhance accountability, create awareness and ensure transparency 

in the management of the government businesses. He also state that, itcan be seen 

as a potential strategy of government through which their activities can be 

showcased to the public. Ayo (2014) defined e-governance as the governing of the 

states or country using ICT in executing government businesses. From the 

definitions so far, it can be deduced that e-governance is simply the use of ICT in 

Operations of government businesses, put it in another way, it is the shift from the 

traditional methods of carrying out government activities which is mainly 

hierarchical, liner and on way to the use of internet which enable the public seek 

information at their own convenience not really having to visit office in person or 

when government office is open (Agochukwu and Lawrence2015). 

 

E- Governance is noteworthy because it minimizes corruption, enhances 

transparency, increases convenience, increase gross domestic products (GDP). 

Growth, allows a way for the citizens to be involved directly with their country, 

reduces the overall cost and broadens the speed of the government. Through an 

efficient e-governance system, government increases the amount and quality of 

information and services delivered to the local public by using ICT simple, 

economical and productive way. 

 
 

However, the declaration of Covid 19 as a public health emergency by the world 

health organization necessitated a country across the globe to implement response 

and integration measures. Government needs to make full use of digital 

technologies to confront the Covid 19 pandemic and address a white range of 

pandemic related issues, according to another new policies brief issued by the UN 

department of economic and social affairs. The pandemic is compelling 

government and societies to turn towards digital technologies to respond to the 

crisis and increasingly, is requiring government to adopt an open government 

approach and to use digital communication channels to provide reliable formation 

on global and national Covid 19 development. With lock down and other social 

distancing measures in effect in many countries and with more people relying on 

the internet for information and advice, government are being urged to deploy 

effective digital technologies to curtail the outbreak(Mohamed, 2010).  

Government information has focused on information about the outbreak, travel 

restrictions, practical guidance on protection, and government response. 

Government as first custodian of data related to Covid 19 has also started 

publishing statistics that include the total number of cases in a country total 

facilities as well reporting of cases by jurisdictions. Governments have also design 

new app and services to help in the fight against Covid 19 , to facilitate services 

such as delivering food and other essential items to those most in need by 

optimizing the entire supply chain via digital government service (Abdulrazaq, 

2015).Some member of states recoded an increase in the usage of online services 



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Ezeobele Economic Impact Of Covid 19 And The … 

such as digital ID and digital Signature, due to the spikes in applications for 

unemployment and other social benefits. 

 

World Wild E-Book Government and the Covid 19 Pandemic 

E-government is an interconnected system in which the government interacts with 

citizens and provides augmented services to them through electronic applications. 

With the assistance of ICT, e-governance has been implemented and digitalization 

opportunities in the world are being revolutionized (Khan et al. 2020). E- 

governance furnishes a rare possibility for government to increase identity record 

keeping and expand the ability to share social and economic results. Based on 

survey, 80 units of 1000 republics particular actions to certify e- governments, e- 

book services utilized by the highly sensitive portions of their populace in 2018, 

which was a marked increase from less than 30 percent in 2012. There is much 

importance for mobile e-government facilities to provide social services such as 

distance education and health which will have a positive effect on an individual’s 

daily life. These services are particularly important for rural populations because, 

they tend to live in poorer conditions (Darker et al. 2018). 

 

Worldwide, there are currently estimated 1.1billion individuals who are surviving 

in neediness, are refugees or migrants are living in agrarian societies or are part of 

ignoble clusters without a legitimate identity. Therefore, several SDG5 - SDG16 

refer to peak, justice, and strong institutions and SDG 16.9 refers to providing a 

legal identity to all individuals including birth registration seek to ameliorate these 

issues by 2030.growing financial institutions and avoiding corruption and fraud 

can serve to improve the economic situation of individual, while providing social 

services can help furnish legal identities to these ignoble clusters. Together with 

the full advantage of connecting the quality and speed of mobile connections must 

also be augmented. Moreover, the rapid increase in cell. Phone acceptance in 

developing markets is furnishing support in ameliorating the connecting divide. 

 

To gain advantage by shifting higher volume of information to cell phone system, 

the speed and network quality must be improved. Approximately 85percent of the 

global populace currently use the 3G network, which is the minimal speed for 

smart data functions. Moreover, the upcoming network generation that is 4G cell. 

Phone wide band contributions are lagging behind. The growing variety of 

government facilities that are furnished online makes digital divides refer to the 

gap between demographics and regions that have access to modern ICT and those 

that do not or have restricted access. This technology can include telephones, 

televisions, personal computers and the internet (Options et al. 2019).Governments 

may unintentionally generate fresh electronic divides by eliminating offline access 

for services that can utilize online methods, an action that encourages digital first 

method. There for, online services are being favored as countries move forward to 

accept more quality and availability. 



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Aquino Journal of Philosophy, Vol. 1(2), 2021 

Ma(2019), found that online payment systems are more efficient and economical 

than traditional payment system. The entire payment process can be done using 

mobile phones and the business can be more efficiently, conveniently, and secretly 

allocate money online with emails address. To create a simultaneous payment 

solution, the network only requires a bank and credit card. PayPal is the most 

popular online payment system around the world. It deals with 26 currencies from 

193 markets. There are 137 million PayPal accounts and on daily basis, there are 8 

million transactions. During Covid 19 lock down and other restrictions, PayPal 

users have beenable to make payments while quarantine in their houses when the 

banks were closed. For many people, the only options Was to make payment 

through the PayPal app because,. PayPal provides payment solutions around the 

globe. Offnotes, PayPal provides payment solutions around the globe. 

 

Health care providers are at high risk for contacting Covid 19, free triage telehealth 

assessment has been offered by health institutions of many countries. Telegraph 

assessments are provided to portions by a mobile app or website that contains a 

short survey about the patience current conditions. Moreover, this survey contains 

questions about the patience eye, travel, history and symptoms. The patience may 

be asked to connect with the digital health care providers or visit a mobile testing 

site/hospital for Covid 19(Abdulrazaq, 2015). 

 

Buoy Health (2020a,b)and Lark (2020a, b) are websites with health focused chart 

bots and can also provide help to interpret an individual’s symptoms and propose 

the appropriate next step(Abdulrazaq,2015). Furthermore, to ensure continuity of 

care, the survey results are integrated with electronic medical records. In 

Singapore, the “Trace together"mobile app is currently used to assist in Covid 19 

contact tracing. This app uses blue tooth technology to determine whether the 

person has had any close contact with Covid 19 diagnosed patience. 

 

Siva health (2020a,b) Deported Assistant (2020) have provided artificial 

intelligence systems that offer information and help the patients without smart 

assistance such as Google Home and Amazon. These interventions enabled health 

care providers to respond to any patients need without entering their rooms and 

reduce their exposure to respiratory secretions. A rapid Diagnostic" drive through 

screening" kits developed in Korea has the potentials to diagnose Covid 19 

infected patients in the early stage of the disease. This eventually reduces the 

fatality rate and prevents transmission, an Innovative methods that allows 

thousands of people to be tested daily. The new diagnostic kits reduced test time 

from 24 to six hours by employing the real time reverse transcription polymerase 

chain reaction and was rapidly approved by Korea centers for disease control and 

prevention (KCDC) and ministry of food and drug safety (MFDG). A kit is usually 

approved within 1 year from development, allowing it to be quickly applied in the 

field (Administration of China, 2020). During the Covid 19 pandemic, the 

implementation of digital health has aimed to reduce the risk or avoiding the 

transmission to medical service providers. The above mentioned technology 



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Ezeobele Economic Impact Of Covid 19 And The … 

applications have the potentials to reduce transmission risk by abating physical 

contacts among patience and Healthcare providers. Moreover, digital health 

involvement enables medical service providers to tackle the global pandemic even 

when working remotely or practicing self isolation measures. 

 
 

Factors of E-Governance implementation in Nigeria 

Without doubt, there are a lot of influences which contribute positive outcome of 

E-Governance in Nigeria. Nevertheless, Heeks, (2001) observes that the major 

objectives of e-governance are to improve government processes (e- 

administration) and connect citizens (e-citizens and e-services) and build external 

interactions (e-society) (Heeks, 2001). Despite these objectives,some factors to be 

considered in the e-governance implementations are: 

i. Making and implementing decisions 

ii. Proper leadership 

iii. Putting in place an organizational arrangements 

iv. Ensuring resources and funding 

v. Establishing accountability and measuring success, and skilled staffs 

vi. Better delivery of government services to citizens 

vii. Improve interactions with business and industry 

viii. Citizens’ empowerment through access to information and more efficient 

government management are the factors 

 

It is worthy of note that e-governance is not only the computerization of a 

government system but a belief in the ability of technology to achieve high level of 

improvement in various areas of government thus transforming the Nature Of 

politics and the relations between government and citizens (Doda, 2006, p. 1). 

 

Challenges of e-governance implementation in Nigerian public service 

The concept of public service differs from country to country but in this case, the 

concern is what it means in Nigeria. Section 318 of the 1999 constitution of the 

Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended defines the public service as the service of 

the federation in any capacity in respect of the government of the federation and 

includes services as: 

1. Clerk or other staff of the national assembly or of each house of the national 

assembly 

2. Member of staff of the Supreme Court, the Court of appeal, the federal capital 

territory Abuja, the Sharia court of appeal of FCT, the customary court of 

appeal FCT, or other Courts established for the federation by this constitution 

and by act of the national assembly. 

3. Member or staffs of any commission or authority established for the federation 

by this constitution or by act of national assembly. 

4. Member or staff of any commission or authority. 

5. Staff of any area council. 



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Aquino Journal of Philosophy, Vol. 1(2), 2021 

6. Staff Of any educational institution established or financed principally by the 

government of the federation. 

7. Staff of any statutory corporation established by an act of the national 

assembly. 

8. Staff of any company or enterprises in which the government of the federation 

owns controlling shares or interest. 

9. Members or officers of the Armed Forces of the federation or the Nigeria 

police force or other government security agencies established by law. 

 

A lot have been said as regards the benefits of e-governance implementation in 

Nigeria or what it has to offer. Scholars have mentioned that when e-governance is 

implemented, there will be accountability, awareness, and transparency in the 

management of governmental business will be ensured (Ojo, 2014,p.79). 

Unfortunately, this is not the case in Nigeria. However, we are not ruling out the 

tendencies of any policy of government but we are of the view that there are things 

that must be taken care of before we expect so much from the policy of e- 

governance in Nigerian public service. This is also in line with the assertion of 

Dode (2007, p. 382) thus: the e-governance practice is bound to meet with strong 

opposition from the bureaucratic quarters of the policy. By this we mean the over 

bloated public services whose members will analyze this practice as a deliberate 

attempt by the government to throw majority of their members out of their jobs. 

Majority of the public servants are thus likely to use their position to frustrate the 

effective application of e-governance in Nigerian. The will definitely dislike a 

system that will reduce to the minimum, face to face contact between citizens and 

the government services providers. 

 

However, the e-governance implementation in the Nigeria public services is 

accompanied with many challenges. According to Abbdeb -Fattah &Galal-Edeen 

(2008), the major challenge of e-governance in the Nigerian public service is lack 

of trained and qualified personnel to handle and operate it's infrastructures. They 

further state that due to the high cost associated with the procurement and training 

of the public servants with ICT skills, government sometimes feel reluctant in the 

actual implementation of the e-governance in the public service. The effective and 

successful implementation of e-governance requires expert to coordinate and 

operate the ICT related infrastructures because where there are no competent 

personnel to handle its infrastructure; it will be useless to procure the 

infrastructures (Ayo &Ekong, 2008). 

 

Infrastructural deficit: Infrastructural deficit is another serious challenge to e- 

governance implementation in Nigerian. There is serious deficit in the level of 

infrastructure that is placed in the rural areas compared to the urban areas despite 

the rural areas accounting for more than 60 percent of the population. Most of the 

telecoms base stations are situated in the urban areas leaving the rural areas with 

little or no access to telecommunication facilities. Although the tele-density rate of 

Nigeria is high which is almost reaching as high as 90 percent. This is an 



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Ezeobele Economic Impact Of Covid 19 And The … 

indication that almost every Nigeria owns a hand phone. However, e-government 

goes beyond the use of internet to be able to access government electronic 

services. The level of internet usage in Nigeria is not encouraging due to low level 

of penetration most especially in the rural areas where education is low. Based on 

the 2011 study by the Nigerian communication commission, only 17 percent of the 

rural communities had internet facilities compared to 79 percent in the urban 

centers. Out of the17 percent only 11 have access broad band (ITU news 292). 

 

Digital divide is also another impediment to a successful implementation of e- 

governance in Nigerian public service. Digital divide is the difference in ICT 

access and usage between different regions that shares similar characteristics. In 

explaining digital divide in Nigeria, it can be perceived as the difference in the 

accessibility and usage of ICT service between the rural populations and the urban 

population. Digital divide in Nigeria is caused by low literacy, poverty 

infrastructural gap, and high cost of internet connectivity. 

 

Low ICT skilled manpower: ICT education is another issue of importance here. 

The director of NIC in the interview highlighted the fact that majority of the staffs 

in the ministry do not have the required level of knowledge in ICT to carry out the 

task of e-services. Thus, the very few with ICT knowledge are overburdened with 

huge tasks. 

 

Incessant power failure: the major technical challenge disrupting the full success 

of e-governance implementation in Nigeria is epileptic power supply. Power 

blackout is a regular phenomenon in most Nigerian cities, towns, and villages with 

negative impact on the robustness of ICT. Most telecommunications base stations 

are equipped with power generating plants S an alternative source of power for 

these equipments. The cost of procuring these generating plants maintenance and 

fueling them have added to the operation cost of these companies and as such, the 

financial burden will be borne by the final consumers. 

 

Theft and vandalization of ICT equipment: Another setback to the progress of 

ICT infrastructural development in Nigeria is the deft and the vandalization of the 

internet and telecommunication facilities most especially in the conflict prone 

areas of the north east and southgeopolitical zone,. For example, in 2012,the 

largest telecommunication company in Nigeria, MTN Nigeria recorded more than 

70 cases of facility vandalization (Daily independent 2013). And on the national 

level, the country records more than 1000 cases of vandalization every year 

(Hamanipo, 2013).The security of assets possesses a serious challenge due to the 

volatile security Statues of the country. Moreover, the perpetrators of the act are 

mostly left unpunished due to lack of law that protects these infrastructures. 

Recently, a motion was raised in 2013 in the national assembly for the passage of 

the telecoms infrastructural protection act that will seek to prosecute the 

perpetrators of vandalization (vanguard, 2013). 



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Aquino Journal of Philosophy, Vol. 1(2), 2021 

Recommendations 

It is important at this juncture to suggest what can be done to achieve a successful 

implementation of e-governance in Nigerian public service. Based on the issues 

identified as implementation in Nigerian public service, the following 

recommendations are advanced: 

Government ministries department agencies should set up e-governance 

implementation committee who will work out modalities for the effective 

implementation of the concept with performance evaluation units, establish to 

evaluate the success and failures in its target as well as feedback mechanism to 

report implementation effectiveness. The federal government should establish 

ministry of ICT affairs to set up  ICT implementation framework evaluation units 

in each of the ministries and the parastatals with the permanent secretaries as the 

head. The ICT ministry will liaise with the implementation committee at the 

various ministries including state ministries to evaluate performance as well as 

feedback to help in its effectiveness. Nigerian public service ministries department 

and agencies must show a high level of e-readiness in other operations. All that is 

needed must be put in place by the government especially that which is within  

their capacity. For instance ensure that all offices are equipped with functional 

computers, employ highly skilled personnel in ICT provisions of continuous 

training of the personnel to keep them informed on how best to utilize e- 

governance in engendering effective service delivery among others. 

 

Conclusions 

However, the challenges have been identified and the research recommends that 

government and stakeholders in the ICT sector will quickly find quick and lasting 

solutions to them. For adequate solution to the challenges. The paper, therefore 

conclude that e-governance service delivery will lead to transparency and 

accountability in government businesses and operations for Nigerian public 

service. But it has to contend with the challenges to the successful implementation 

of e-governance in the country public sector. 



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Ezeobele Economic Impact Of Covid 19 And The … 

 
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