IMPACT OF ELECTRONIC GOVERNANCE IN PROMOTING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN GOVERNANCE

ABSTRACT

The research work is concerned about the Impact of Electronic Governance in Promoting Transparency and Accountability in Governance, within the scope of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in Edo State. The Objective of the research seeks to scrutinize the impact of Electronic Governance in promoting transparency and accountability in governance. The research made use of a descriptive survery research method in which a 4-Likert scaled questionnaire was drafted for the data collection; the questionnaire was validated by the researcher’s supervisor and was subject to a reliability test using cronbach Alpha which affirmed that the research instrument was reliable with a coefficient index of 0.79; which was used to collect Data from 150 respondents. The findings of the study showed that Electronic Governance has positively affected various aspects of good governance, it has improved access to government services, increased transparency and accountability, enhanced service delivery efficiency, and ensured the security of personal information. The findings also revealed that the absence of Electronic Governance within the FIRS in Edo State is hindering Nigeria's progress toward development goals. Recognition of Electronic Governance's potentials to improve public service delivery, attract investments, foster innovations, and drive economic growth and the adoption of Electronic Governance will accelerate national development efforts, which therefore led to the conclusion that while Electronic Governance holds promise as a transformative tool for governance and development, its full potential is yet to be realized within the FIRS in Edo State. The study therefore recommended that policymakers and stakeholders must prioritize efforts to address the identified challenges, including improving accountability mechanisms and strengthening transparency initiatives. Nigeria can harness the power of Electronic Governance to foster a more efficient, transparent, and responsive government that effectively serves the needs of its citizens and drives sustainable development across the country.