Determinants of e-government diffusion in Nigeria

Abstract

While Nigeria began its e-government initiatives in the early 2000s, the country is still in the early stages of e-government development, with very low e-government diffusion among its population. Through the administration of survey questionnaires, this paper first identifies the benefits of e-government, and then examines factors of e-government diffusion in Nigeria via three theoretical models of innovation diffusion (Technology Acceptance Model, Diffusion of Innovation theory, and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology). Results of the study suggest that the anticipated benefits of e-government in Nigeria are similar to those found in other studies in the e-government literature. Prominent factors of e-government diffusion found in the study capture the dimensions of the three theories. However, due to the unique nature of the Nigerian context, two factors (trust in government and reliable electricity supply) of e-government diffusion identified in the study are not within the dimensions of the theoretical models. The paper suggests that the Nigerian government should address the factors identified in the study (such as reliable electricity supply, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, relative advantage, etc.) in order to facilitate e-government diffusion in the country. The study therefore provides a basis within which policy makers should aim to improve the deployment and diffusion of e-government in Nigeria.