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MAKURDI, Nigeria — Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has been named the Digital Governor of the Year 2026 at the Nigeria GOVTECH Public Service Awards, hosted by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) under the Presidency.
The national honor highlights the federal government’s acknowledgment of Benue State’s rapid digital evolution, driven by institutional reforms, technology-backed governance, and extensive capacity-building over the past two years.
Federal Evaluation and Institutional Support
According to federal organizers, Governor Alia was selected following a national comparative evaluation across states, which measured:
- Digital service delivery and infrastructure
- Transparency and institutional readiness
- Public sector innovation and private-sector partnerships
The recognition comes a year after the state’s main technology engine, the Benue Digital Infrastructure Company PLC (BDIC), was named Best State ICT Agency at the 2025 iteration of the same awards. Established by the Alia administration in 2024, BDIC has served as the core driver behind the state’s technology ecosystem alongside the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and BENDISMEA.
Core Milestones of the Digital Transformation
1. Civil Service & Governance Modernization
- Digital Skills for Civil Servants: From 2025 to date, 30,000 state and local government workers have completed training on digital tools, e-governance practices, and data privacy in partnership with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).
- Hardware Rollout: The administration is executing a key supply contract to deliver 3,500 enterprise computers and high-end servers to state Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
- e-Parliament Rollout: The state legislature has implemented the Benue e-Parliament Management System, featuring paperless documentation platforms, virtual participation capabilities, and direct laptop provisioning for standing committees.
2. Infrastructure & Business Investments
- Telecommunications Policy: To boost private sector broadband expansion, Governor Alia eliminated Right of Way (RoW) fees for telecom operators and cracked down on illegal local tax collections.
- Fiber Integration: Core government facilities and MDAs are actively being linked to fiber-optic network pipelines.
3. Social Inclusion & Youth Development
- Youth Capacity Building: Following initial technology boot camps and training for 10,000 youths, the administration launched an ongoing collaboration with the Cisco Networking Academy to train 20,000 additional youths in high-demand tech roles.
- Inclusive Facilities: The administration established a specialized ICT center dedicated to persons with disabilities (PWDs), which has completed operations for its first two cohorts.
- Artisan Registry: A digital register for skilled tradespeople was introduced to manage verification, enterprise support, and targeted project referrals.
Looking Ahead
In a statement reflecting on the honor, Sir Tersoo Kula, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, stated that the national award serves as a platform to consolidate ongoing projects, expand connectivity into rural communities, and further streamline public services for residents across Benue State.
