By Julius Peter, Abuja
The Borno State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency has received the GovTech Trailblazers Award as the Best State (MDA) in Digital Health Services Delivery at the Nigeria GovTech Public Service Awards 2026.
The award was presented to the Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr. Saleh Abba Kaza, in recognition of the agency’s digital health service delivery initiatives and its efforts to integrate technology into healthcare administration and service delivery across Borno State.
The award ceremony was organised by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms as part of efforts to recognise public institutions that have demonstrated innovation and improved service delivery through the adoption of technology.
Speaking shortly after receiving the award, Dr.Saleh Abba Kaza described the recognition as a significant milestone for both him and the agency, noting that it reflected years of hard work, institutional commitment and collective efforts to improve healthcare delivery through digital solutions.
He expressed appreciation to the Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, for his support for the state Ministry of Health and the agency, which he said had contributed to the progress recorded in the sector.
The executive secretary also acknowledged the contributions of the state Commissioner for Health, the people of Borno State, the agency’s management and staff, particularly personnel in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) department, for their dedication to advancing the agency’s digital transformation agenda.
According to him, the achievement was not the result of a recent initiative but the outcome of five years of sustained effort to build and strengthen digital systems capable of improving healthcare management and monitoring.
“This award means a lot to me and the agency. I appreciate the Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, for his support to the Ministry of Health and the agency. I also appreciate the Commissioner for Health and all the citizens of Borno State for their tremendous support,” he said.
Dr. Saleh particularly commended the agency’s management and ICT personnel, noting that their contributions had played a crucial role in the development and implementation of the digital systems that earned the agency the recognition.
He explained that the agency had established a control centre that enables him to monitor and visualise activities across healthcare facilities covered by its pilot programmes from his office.
The system, he said, provides a platform for monitoring healthcare operations and accessing information about activities within the participating facilities, thereby supporting improved coordination and oversight.
Dr. Saleh also highlighted the agency’s centralised records system, which he described as a major innovation in the state’s healthcare administration.
According to him, the digital infrastructure has strengthened the agency’s capacity to manage healthcare information centrally and monitor service delivery more effectively.
He said the systems represented part of the agency’s broader effort to use technology to improve healthcare administration, strengthen institutional efficiency and enhance access to information needed for effective decision-making.
The executive secretary noted that the recognition would further motivate the agency’s management and staff to intensify their efforts towards improving digital healthcare services across the state.
He added that the award was not an endpoint but an encouragement to pursue further innovations and sustain the progress already made.
“This award will spur me and my management team to do more. I dedicate this award to the good people of Borno State,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms, D. I. Arabi, said recipients of the GovTech Public Service Awards were carefully selected based on their performance.
Arabi explained that the recognition was intended to celebrate public institutions and officials whose work demonstrated the value of innovation, efficiency and technology-driven reforms in government operations.
He encouraged the award recipients to sustain their achievements and remain committed to improving service delivery in their respective institutions.
According to him, the awards should serve as motivation for beneficiaries to raise their standards, deepen ongoing reforms and continue delivering measurable improvements to the public.
He urged the recipients to see the recognition as a responsibility to do more rather than an occasion to rest on their achievements.
The recognition of the Borno State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency highlights the growing role of digital technology in strengthening public healthcare administration and service delivery.
Digital systems can support healthcare institutions through improved record management, real-time monitoring, more efficient coordination and better access to information for planning and decision-making.
For an agency responsible for managing contributory healthcare arrangements, such tools can also help strengthen administrative processes and improve oversight of participating healthcare facilities.
The development of centralised records and a control centre, as highlighted by Dr. Kaza, reflects the agency’s efforts to establish technology-based mechanisms for managing and monitoring its operations.
Sustaining these innovations will require continued investment in digital infrastructure, staff capacity development, reliable data management systems and the effective use of technology to address the needs of healthcare providers and beneficiaries.
The agency’s recognition at the 2026 Nigeria GovTech Public Service Awards therefore marks an important milestone in its digital transformation journey and places renewed emphasis on the need to build on existing progress.
For Dr.Daleh the award represents recognition of five years of institutional effort, teamwork and support from the Borno State Government and the people of the state.
He said the agency remained committed to doing more, with the award serving as an incentive to strengthen its digital healthcare initiatives and improve service delivery for the benefit of Borno State residents.
