Borno State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (BOSCHMA) and the Borno State Judiciary have received national recognition after winning the Distinguished GovTech Trailblazer Awards at the 2026 Nigeria GovTech Conference Public Service Awards in Abuja.
The awards, presented by the Presidency through the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), honoured public institutions that have used digital technology to improve governance and service delivery across Nigeria.
The award ceremony took place after a technical session at the State House Auditorium, Presidential Villa, Abuja, where representatives of the European Union, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Estonia and Nigerian government agencies discussed ways to strengthen Nigeria’s digital public infrastructure.
Speaking at the event, the Director-General of BPSR, Dasuki Ibrahim Arabi, said the awards were meant to celebrate innovation in public service.
“Today, we celebrate innovation and excellence in public service,” he said. “I urge us to remain steadfast as we continue to harness the power of emerging technologies to create a brighter future for our communities and Nigeria at large.”
Arabi explained that the annual GovTech Conference was created to accelerate digital transformation in governance and support President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said: “The annual conference aims to foster digital transformation, enhance public service delivery via technology, promote innovation and efficiency, and share knowledge among stakeholders, aligning closely with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.”
According to him, the award segment specifically recognises individuals and institutions making outstanding contributions to public service delivery and socio-economic development through technology.
BOSCHMA’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Saleh Abba Kaza, received the award on behalf of the agency after it emerged as the Best State Ministry, Department or Agency in Digital Health Service Delivery.
He credited the achievement to teamwork and the support of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum.
“It was never a one-man job; it was the collective effort of the team, and we all got our inspiration from the governor,” he said.
Dr. Kaza said the recognition reflected five years of commitment to building a modern digital healthcare system in Borno State.
“It means a lot to me. I have to use this opportunity, first of all, to appreciate His Excellency, the Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, and also the Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Health, and all the citizens of Borno State who have given us tremendous support to achieve this feat.
“And in addition also my management team, I have to appreciate them, and especially those working with the ICT Department, they have done a lot for us to actually achieve this milestone. This is not something that actually started today. It is five years of hard work and sacrifice that made us recognized today.
“And today, at least for good reasons, Borno is going to be in the limelight, and then we are highly appreciative of that. We have to thank Allah SWT for giving us the opportunity, for giving us life, for us to witness this important day.”
The BOSCHMA boss also said the agency had fully digitised many of its operations to improve healthcare delivery.
“It means a lot. A lot of people are doing a lot of things behind the scenes, many people that I may not be able to mention here. They have done a lot of things, and I have to use this opportunity to appreciate them and to dedicate this award to all of them, all our citizens of Borno State.
“We all know how valuable digitalization is all about. It is something that I believe in from the one, and I happen to be the pioneer Executive Secretary, and it is one of the things that actually made me to have a good speed to achieve the milestone that we have achieved.
“We were able to achieve full digitalization of our enrolments platform, including our customer care platform, including self-enrolment, referral platform and even our financial transactions.
“We have a control centre where, in my office, while sitting, I can visualize everything that is going on in all the healthcare facilities that we piloted.
“The centralized Electronic Health Record system can only be found in Borno State because through that, we were able to know how many people are even coming to hospital at a view, real-time data. These are things that we are also advising other people to emulate.”
Chief Judge of Borno State, Justice Kashim Zannah, who spoke on behalf of the award recipients, described the recognition as significant, noting that the state’s judiciary was honoured for introducing an electronic court system aimed at improving justice delivery.
Other award recipients included Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal and Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia.
The Nigeria GovTech Conference is an annual platform that brings together government officials, technology experts and development partners to promote digital governance, innovation and improved public service delivery across the country. The latest recognition places Borno among the states leading Nigeria’s drive towards digital transformation in healthcare and the justice sector.
