The Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has raised concerns over the widespread use of free email services by government officials for conducting official business, stating that the practice violates government policy and poses significant risks to national security, data privacy, and the integrity of government operations.

In a statement signed by its cyber-security program officer, Ms. Esther Adeniyi, the MRA emphasized that free email services such as Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Hotmail, and Outlook.com lack the robust security features necessary to protect sensitive government information. Ms. Adeniyi warned that using these services could lead to data breaches, cyber-attacks, and unauthorized access to sensitive information, which could have serious implications for national security and public trust.

Ms. Adeniyi referenced the February 17, 2022, approval of the National Policy on the Nigerian Government Second-Level Domains by the Federal Executive Council (FEC). The policy, championed by the then Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, was intended to safeguard official communications by ensuring the use of government top-level domains. Prof. Pantami had directed government officials to migrate from generic domains to official government domains, warning against the continued use of private emails for official communications.

Additionally, Ms. Adeniyi recalled that former President Muhammadu Buhari reiterated this directive on February 2, 2023, urging all government officials to use appropriate government domains for official purposes. Despite these directives and policies, dating back to the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, Ms. Adeniyi noted that many government officials at federal, state, and local levels continue to use free email services for official business.

“In an era where cyber threats are increasingly sophisticated, ensuring data security is more critical than ever,” Ms. Adeniyi said. She stressed the importance of government officials avoiding free email services due to the significant challenges they pose, including security vulnerabilities, lack of data control, and non-compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

Ms. Adeniyi argued that the government should invest in secure, government-operated email systems to protect sensitive information, maintain public trust, and uphold the integrity and professionalism of government operations. She also highlighted specific risks associated with the use of free email services, including vulnerability to hacking, data storage on foreign servers, and undermining the credibility of government communications.

The use of free email services, she noted, complicates compliance with the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011, as it hinders proper record-keeping, archiving, and auditing of government communications. Additionally, Ms. Adeniyi pointed out that when officials use personal email accounts for official business, crucial government records may become inaccessible if those officials leave government service, creating a “black hole” in government records.

Ms. Adeniyi called on the government to enforce compliance with its policy and ensure that all ministries, departments, and agencies, as well as government officials, transition to secure, government-operated email systems to better protect sensitive information and maintain public trust.