The Federal Government of Nigeria has unveiled the Interior Electronic Records and Archiving System (INTERAS), a massive digital transformation initiative within the Ministry of Interior. The system, inaugurated on September 1, 2025, in Abuja by Interior Minister, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, is an 8.3-petabyte Tier-4 data centre designed to serve as the ministry’s e-workflow hub under the government’s Enterprise Content Management (ECM) strategy. By this development, the ministry has beaten the December 31 deadline set by the federal civil service for ministries to fully adopt a paperless mode of operation.
INTERAS, which runs on solar power, is structured to ensure sustainable and secure data ownership by government. The digital platform eliminates paper-based bureaucracy, enabling ministries and agencies to process documentation seamlessly on mobile devices, whether in-office or remotely. With the system, government files no longer remain stuck on officials’ desks overnight, thereby boosting efficiency and cutting down delays that once slowed service delivery across the ministry.
The new hub integrates all agencies under the Ministry of Interior, automating services such as citizenship applications, marriage licenses, business permits, and expatriate documentation. According to the ministry, the system also strengthens border security through the Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS), which tracks entrants into Nigeria before arrival in line with United Nations standards. Similarly, data synchronization with the Nigeria Immigration Service has made quota administration fraud-resistant, while the issuance of Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC) has been fully digitized.
The launch drew commendation from senior government officials. Head of Civil Service, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, described the move as a landmark in Nigeria’s digital governance drive, noting that the ministry had become the 18th to adopt ECM reforms. Permanent Secretary, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, praised the project as an epoch-making stride in institutional reform, highlighting its potential to entrench efficiency, accountability, and continuity. Developed by Zimedi Consult, the platform is already running with 275 computers, with plans for expansion in 2025.