Over a year into President Bola Tinubu’s administration, the State House website continues to display outdated details from the previous government. Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo remains listed as the head of the Economic Management Team, despite his position ending with the last administration. Likewise, the agriculture and security policy pages still reference former President Muhammadu Buhari as the leader.
One glaring example is the page for economic policy updates. It still highlights Buhari’s old mandates, such as the vision for the Niger Delta, instead of reflecting Tinubu’s current policies. The security page also features outdated statistics, stating that terrorism-related deaths dropped by 80%, a claim that applied to data from 2022. In reality, the most recent reports from 2024 and 2023 show a 34% increase and a 25% decrease in terrorism deaths, respectively. These inconsistencies raise concerns about the accuracy of information being presented to the public.
This outdated information is a clear violation of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) guidelines. According to Section 3.1 of these guidelines, government websites must update their information at least once a week. However, the State House website appears to have overlooked this requirement in several areas.
To be fair, not all parts of the website are outdated. Some sections, such as the State House Servicom Charter, have been updated and reflect the new administration. For example, Olubiyi Adefunso, the Permanent Secretary appointed by President Tinubu, has signed the most recent charter. Other pages also feature updated names and positions under Tinubu’s leadership.
Despite these updates, the continued presence of outdated information shows a lack of attention to detail. This is particularly concerning given that President Tinubu appointed Wale Edun as the head of the current Economic Management Team months ago. While the issue may stem from oversight rather than intentional neglect, it still reflects poorly on the management of government information.
Unfortunately, this is not the only example of such lapses. Several state-owned websites in Nigeria have failed to meet basic operational standards. A recent investigation revealed that only 10 out of 36 states have websites that are up to date and meet NITDA’s requirements.
Maintaining accurate and updated information on government websites is crucial for transparency and public trust. If the State House website continues to feature outdated content, it risks further damaging the reputation of the government’s information management practices.
