Data collection revolves around the processes observed in gathering literature for this study. This study relied on peer-reviewed articles from the Scopus database. The choice of this database was based on many considerations. At first, Scopus is a robust warehouse for quality articles, given the review rigor of journals indexed in the database (Albugami et al., 2024; Pandita et al., 2023). Second, it is one of the largest and most robust databases for social science literature (Kalia and Rajput, 2024). Finally, Aria and Cuccurullo (2017) identified Scopus as one of the databases with appropriate bibliometric data required for an ideal bibliometric analysis. In addition, to avoid harvesting duplicated papers, many bibliometric analyses have stuck to a single database (Agyei et al., 2024; Mufungizi et al., 2023; Pandita et al., 2023).

In the search for contemporary literature from the Scopus database, a search string (see Table 1) was formulated from the relevant keywords of “information technology,” “information communication technology,” “digital governance,” “e-government,” “e-governance,” “public administration,” “public sector” and “Nigeria.”

Using the criteria in Table 1, and as common in previous bibliometric studies (Agyei et al., 2024; Li et al., 2024; Pandita et al., 2023), this study conducted a comprehensive literature search on 2 December 2024 at 1:00 pm, where 484 kinds of related literatures were found in the Scopus database, and in streamlining this, selected inclusion and exclusion criteria from the 27-item as contained in the PRISMA 2020 checklist were adopted (see Table 2, Figure 1). In scaling down the collated documents, therefore, the parameter of English Language (482), in the Nigerian context (482), peer-reviewed journal articles (295), study period (295), keywords (170), and the comprehensive research context (128) were adopted. Finally, the exclusion criteria observed in this study were non-English Language written articles, studies not on the Nigerian context, documents without peer-reviewed rigor, and those not indexed in Scopus.

In pursuit of the objectives of this paper, a bibliometric analysis was conducted. A bibliometric analysis is a quantitative method used to evaluate and analyse academic literature (Aria and Cuccurullo, 2017; Kalaoane et al., 2024; Li et al., 2024; Ozen Cinar, 2024; Pandita et al., 2023) to ascertain the main features of the literature. These features include the prolific authors, their citations, affiliations, co-occurrence, social networks, etc. Unlike a systematic literature review, this analysis provides more objective and reliable literature analysis (Aria and Cuccurullo, 2017; Kalia and Rajput, 2024). In addition, this analysis has assumed popularity among scholars in exploring the research trend and gap in specific research areas (Agyei et al., 2024; Albugami et al., 2024; Aria and Cuccurullo, 2017; He et al., 2025; Kalaoane et al., 2024), even though Mufungizi et al. (2023) argued that there is a need to support this analysis with a literature content analysis. In accommodating this suggestion, this study included a content analysis of the adopted papers.

In the conduct of this study, VOSviewer, an open-sourced web interface (Van Eck and Waltman, 2023), and biblioshiny, a component of R tool for bibliometric analysis (Aria and Cuccurullo, 2017; Ozen Cinar, 2024; Pandita et al., 2023), were adopted for engaging in a comprehensive analysis of the adopted 128 documents. Several bibliometric studies, such as Albugami et al. (2024) and Pandita et al. (2023), have leveraged these tools for achieving their objectives. As noted in the study of Pandita et al. (2023), and as emulated in this study, citation and document analyses were observed using biblioshiny, where the annual document production and citations were presented. Furthermore, the leading journals in digital governance research in Nigeria were identified with their respective h-index, annual document production, and citations. Unlike most bibliometric analyses, this study incorporated the h-index as a parameter for ascertaining leading journals in the field of ICT use in governance.

In pursuit of the first objective of the study, distinct parameters such as prolific authors with the highest annual research output and citations were considered. In addition, their institutional affiliations were identified. Moreover, the top 10 articles with the highest citations were presented. Furthermore, in linking authors to their respective affiliations and sources, a three-field plot was prepared. This was followed by a word cloud indicating the dominant keywords in the adopted papers. Finally, a keyword co-occurrence network using VOSviewer (Van Eck and Waltman, 2023) and a thematic mapping of adopted literature using biblioshiny were prepared. These allowed for a discussion of the research themes in existing literature, which then allows for the identification of research gaps requiring scholarly attention (Agyei et al., 2024; He et al., 2025; Kalaoane et al., 2024; Kalia and Rajput, 2024).

As equally adopted by Agyei et al. (2024), Ozen Cinar (2024), and Pandita et al. (2023), this study first presented a succinct summary of the documents adopted in the study. In Figure 2, a total of 128 documents published between 1993 and 2025 in 96 Scopus-index publication outlets were adopted. The annual research growth in digital governance in Nigeria was 6.48%. This indicated a significant increase in the annual document production in the research area. Furthermore, a total of 368 authors produced the 128 documents, where 27 single-authored documents were found. The rate of co-authors per document was calculated to be 3.09, while international co-authorship was calculated to be 21.09%. These indicated the presence of robust national and international research collaborations among scholars in the research area.

More particularly, this collaboration equally cuts across disciplines and fields, showing multidisciplinarity and cross-border research collaboration as presented in Section 4.4. Finally, the report showed that in the adopted documents, there were 446 keywords, 5,662 references, and 11.42 average citations per documents.

In Figure 3, the annual document production and citations of adopted literature were presented. In the analysis, the highest number of documents were recorded in 2011 (7); 2012 (9); 2013 (10); 2016, 2017, 2019 (7); 2020 (8); 2021 (11); 2022 (9); 2023 (14); and 2024 (7). In justifying the study period of 1993–2025 adopted in this study, Agunloye (2007) and Adeyeye and Iweha (2005) posited that the earliest move toward the integration of ICT in the Nigerian governance system can be traced to the establishment of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) in 1992. It is from this background that the first published paper on the use of ICT in the Nigerian public sector was published the following year, in 1993. Between 2000 and this year, no publication on the subject was recorded until the NCC was rejuvenated in 2000 (Agunloye, 2007), the National Information Technology Policy in March 2001 (Baridam and Govender, 2016; Hassan et al., 2011; Martens et al., 2020), while the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) was established in 2001 (Adeyeye and Iweha, 2005; Awoleye et al., 2014; Eke, 2011). This resulted in a renewed attempt at integrating ICT in public service delivery in Nigeria (Abdulkareem et al., 2022a). After this renewed effort, another publication was recorded in 2001, and from then on, the subject has continued to experience an increase in scholarly attention. This confirms the nexus between theory (research) and practice.

In addition, in 2013, the National Service Portal, a web-based platform offering interconnectedness among government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), was launched (Asogwa, 2013). This move signaled the enhancement of the electronic public service (e-public service) delivery mechanism in Nigeria. This giant stride could explain the increase in scholarly production on the use of ICT in governance in Nigeria from 2011 to 2024. Since 2013, successive government administrations in Nigeria have continued to intensify efforts to advance e-public service delivery (Alakitan and Makinde, 2025).

Regarding document citations, the nine highest citations were recorded in 2006 (60), 2011 (111), 2012 (70), 2013 (187), 2014 (238), 2017 (104), 2019 (77), 2020 (98), and 2022 (85). Unlike the annual document production, explaining the document citation trend has some complexity to it. At first, there was a steady rise in the number of citations from 2001 to 2007, after which there was a sharp drop from 56 to 14 citations. This could indicate a shift in research focus on the subject, occasioned by the prolonged decline in government attention toward the digitisation of government process and procedure, at least until the launch of the national service portal in 2013, after which the two highest numbers of citations were recorded. In essence, there appears to be a link between the development of ICT in governance and research production among scholars, and this affects the number of citations, as well.

Table 2 and Figure 4 present the 10 prominent literature sources on the use of ICT in governance in Nigeria. These sources were identified using three basic criteria of h-index, citations, and number of documents. The h-index (or Hirsch index) is a metric used primarily in academic and scientific research to measure both the productivity and citation impact of a researcher's publications. As presented in the table below, Electronic Library, a Q2 journal (as of 2023) published by Emerald Insight, recorded the highest h-index of 5 and the highest number of documents. This journal dates to 1983 and had its first issue focusing on the use of digital tools for enhancing library management. Consequently, the journal has continued to publish quality articles on the use of information technology for service delivery. In addition, the 6 documents published in the journal recorded 74 citations, showing that the journal is well acknowledged in the literature.

Information Development is another prominent source among those adopted in this study. The journal recorded an h-index of 4, 5 documents, and 50 citations. This journal, with a focus on library and information science, is published by SAGE Publications Limited and has been in existence since 1985. Other sources had an h-index of between 3 and 2 and with documents ranging between 4 and 2. In terms of citations, Education and Information Technologies had 149 citations with just 2 documents. Following this feat is Government Information Quarterly with 124 citations and 3 documents.

Other sources with an impressive number of citations are Electronic Journal of Information Systems in Developing Countries (70) and Journal of Agricultural and Food Information (35). Each of the sources adopted in this study and as captured in Figure 4 represents a significant player in the publication of high-quality manuscripts in the field of information technologies, not just in Nigeria, but across the world. This is evident in the spread of their authors across prominent institutions and countries.

In the focused subject area of ICT use in Nigeria's Public Administration research, the prolific authors are as shown in Table 3 and Figure 5. In the ranking of these authors, their respective numbers of articles and citations were adopted. This allows for the consideration of both the quantity and quality of authors' research output. First on this list is Aigbavboa C with 3 articles and 100 citations (Aghimien et al., 2022; Ebekozien et al., 2024, 2023). Other authors with 3 articles but with varied citations were Ilori MO (43) (Adelowo et al., 2023; Awoleye et al., 2014; Sanni et al., 2001), Abdulkareem AK (18) (Abdulkareem et al., 2022a, 2024; Abdulkareem and Ramli, 2021), and Oyebisi TO (10) (Ajao et al., 2018; Ayanlade et al., 2018; Hassan et al., 2011). These authors have demonstrated consistency in producing quality research focusing on the use of ICT in Nigeria's Public Administration.

Concerted research effort toward the subject of ICT use in the Nigerian public administration has also been demonstrated by Awoleye OM (Awoleye, 2022; Awoleye et al., 2014), Abbott P (Dasuki and Abbott, 2015; Dasuki et al., 2014), Baro EE (Baro et al., 2014; Oberhiri-Orumah and Baro, 2023), Bello ML (Abdulkareem et al., 2022a, 2024), Aderemi HO (Aderemi et al., 2015; Ajao et al., 2018), and Bassey VU (Ike et al., 2023; Inakefe et al., 2023) with 2 published articles each and 40, 38, 16, 7, 4, and 3 citations, respectively. These authors, as complementarily presented in Figure 5, represent the body of scholars with consistent research effort on this study. However, there is evidence of significant collaborative work among these authors as presented in Figure 6. In the figure were 11 clusters indicating the various groups of authors that have worked together. The extent of their collaboration is showcased with the thickness of their connecting lines (Van Eck and Waltman, 2023).

For instance, Aigbavboa, Ilori, and Abdulkareem, the top three authors with the highest number of articles, have collaborated with other authors such as Awoleye, Adelowo AD, Adelowo CM, Bello, Ishola, Ramli, Abdulkareem ZJ, Adejumo, Oyebisi, Aderemi, Adegbite Ebekozien, and Aghimien. An analysis of the three clusters comprising these authors indicated that their studies have centered on the challenges confronting ICT hubs in Nigeria (Adelowo et al., 2023) and those of smart city development in developing countries (Aghimien et al., 2022; Ebekozien et al., 2024, 2023); the role of digital literacy in predicting e-government performance (Abdulkareem and Ramli, 2021; Inakefe et al., 2023); the influence of openness of public organizations and social media use on e-participation and the mediating effect of trust in e-government (Abdulkareem et al., 2022a); and the impact of ICT adoption on job-related outcomes in the Nigerian public sector (Abdulkareem et al., 2024).

In understanding the underlying factors prompting these collaborations, this paper presented a three-field plot as shown in Figure 7. In the figure, Abdulkareem has dual affiliation with the University of Ilorin, where he collaborated with Bello and Ishola (Abdulkareem et al., 2022a, 2024), and Universiti Sains Malaysia, where he wrote an article with Ramli (Abdulkareem and Ramli, 2021). Equally, Ilori, Awoleye, Oyebisi, Adelowo AD, Adelowo CM, and Aderemi are all sharing Obafemi Awolowo University as their primary institutional affiliation (Adelowo et al., 2023; Aderemi et al., 2015; Awoleye, 2022; Awoleye et al., 2014; Hassan et al., 2011). Similarly, Aigbavboa, Ebekozien, and Aghimien have shared affiliation with the University of Johannesburg, South Africa (Aghimien et al., 2022; Ebekozien et al., 2024, 2023).

In support of Table 3 and Figure 5, above, Table 4 shows the list of the top 10 articles with the highest citations about this study. Just as indicated earlier, Aigbavboa C and Ilori MO topped the list with their papers published in 2022 and 2014, respectively. The study on a fuzzy synthetic evaluation of the challenges of smart city development in developing countries by Aigbavboa C examined the challenges confronting the proper domestication of smart city initiatives among developing countries. It found that issues relating to environmental, technological, social, and legal factors are the major challenges confronting the effective implementation of smart city projects in developing countries. The significance and impact of the findings can be observed in the number of citations it garnered within just 3 years. In addition, Ilori MO's study on Web application vulnerability assessment and policy direction toward a secure smart government produced outstanding recommendations for mitigating web application vulnerability (Awoleye et al., 2014).

Other studies on the list with impressive citations were produced by Awoleye OM (Awoleye, 2022; Awoleye et al., 2014); Aigbavboa C (Aghimien et al., 2022; Ebekozien et al., 2024, 2023); Abbott P (Dasuki and Abbott, 2015; Dasuki et al., 2014); Baro EE; Abdulkareem AK (Abdulkareem et al., 2022a; Abdulkareem and Ramli, 2021); Bello ML (Abdulkareem et al., 2022a); and Oyebisi TO (Ayanlade et al., 2018). Each of these studies explored varied aspects of smart governance models. For instance, Abdulkareem and Bello examined the influence of social media use by government agencies as a motivator for public participation and public trust building in Nigeria (Abdulkareem et al., 2022a); Abdulkareem and Ramli examined the predictive role of digital literacy on e-government performance in Nigeria (Abdulkareem and Ramli, 2021; Okunola et al., 2017). Oyebisi, in a collaborative study with Ayanlade and Kolawole, established the continued investment in Health Information Technology (HIT) applications for managing chronic diseases such as diabetes (Ayanlade et al., 2018).

Out of the 128 documents adopted in this study, 109 were from 10 universities across the world, with half of them from Nigeria. These data positioned Nigerian universities as the highest producers of research papers on the use of ICT in public administration in the country, a strong indication of growing interest in the use of ICT for governance among home-based Nigerian scholars. As captured in Figure 8 below, 20 research articles were from authors with an affiliation in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun, Nigeria. This university, established in 1961, has remained an ambitious institution of learning with high research output. Following in this trend were the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Anambra State, Nigeria (18 articles); Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru (13 articles); University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria (13 articles); and Covenant University, Sango-Otta, Ogun State, Nigeria (11 articles).

Other universities with a high number of published articles about this study were Kent State University, Ohio, US; Universiti Sains Malaysia, George Town, Malaysia; University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa; University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; and Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.

Continuing from Figure 8 above, it can be seen from Figure 7 that a linkage was provided showing the authors, their sources, and affiliations. This figure complements the information provided on each of these parameters. For instance, Aigbavboa C, a prolific author on the use of ICT in the Nigerian public administration, has at different times secured affiliation with the University of Johannesburg (Aghimien et al., 2022; Ebekozien et al., 2024, 2023) and the University of Ibadan, while his studies were published in Aslib Journal of Information Management, Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, and the International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation. Equally, Abdulkareem AK, another prolific author with three papers has dual affiliation with University of Ilorin, where he lectures and Universiti Sains Malaysia, where he earned his Ph.D. in 2022, has published with International Review of Public Administration, a publication by Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group (Abdulkareem et al., 2022a); Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, published by Emerald Publishing Limited (Abdulkareem et al., 2024) and Electronic Government, by Inderscience Publishers (Abdulkareem and Ramli, 2021). This figure presents readers with the opportunity to trace authors to their respective affiliations and journal sources.

Aside from the basic quantitative analysis of the adopted documents, this section examined the thematic analysis of the studies in a bid to explain their specific research focus, despite their concentration on the use of ICT in the Nigerian public administration. To do this, the word cloud is first presented to explore the prominent authors' keywords in the adopted studies. In addition, a co-occurrence network of the keywords was presented as a parameter for article categorization (Agyei et al., 2024). Finally, the thematic map of these keywords was presented to group the adopted studies into motor, niche, basic, and emerging or declining themes. This will expose the various areas of research concentration, as well as areas requiring further research attention.

In Figure 9, Nigeria, with 70 occurrences, 9 links, and a total link strength of 52, was the most common keyword used in the 128 papers analyzed in this study. This indicated the significance of this keyword to this study. Furthermore, it reflects the environmental context of the studies, which confirms the appropriateness of the adopted papers. In addition, ICT and e-government assumed prominence among the adopted keywords. This is given their link with the subject of the investigation. Other popular keywords found in the adopted papers were information technology, developing countries, communication technologies, policy, and information and communication technology.

In establishing the keyword co-occurrence network for this study, VOSviewer was employed. This software is effective for preparing keyword co-occurrence networks (Kalia and Rajput, 2024; Van Eck and Waltman, 2023), as illustrated in Figures 10, 11. To ensure a substantial number of authors' keywords were captured, this study adopted a minimum threshold of 5 occurrences. As indicated in the literature, studies with a larger number of authors' keywords can use a higher benchmark of around 10 occurrences (Pandita et al., 2023) to reduce the complexity of the generated network. The three most prominent authors' keywords in the network were Nigeria, ICT, and e-government. The prominence of these keywords reflects their significance to the objectives of the study and to identifying relevant literature. For instance, Nigeria, with 70 occurrences and a total link strength of 52, is connected to 9 other items in the network, highlighting the centrality of this keyword to the study. Similarly, ICT, linked to 6 items, has 30 occurrences and a total link strength of 23, while e-government, connected to 5 items, has a total link strength of 21 and 23 occurrences. Both keywords played crucial roles in selecting papers for this study. In concluding this analysis, there appears to be a relationship among these three keywords as they recorded more total strength links than all others combined. This could be due to their centrality to the paper's title and the fact that achieving e-government in Nigeria relies on the application of ICT (Abdulkareem and Ramli, 2021; Adekoya et al., 2005).

In Figure 10, as well, the nodes are clustered into four colors of red, green, blue, and yellow. The size and lines connecting the nodes also speak to the relationship among the nodes. While the size of the nodes denotes the number of occurrences (Mufungizi et al., 2023; Van Eck and Waltman, 2023), distance indicates the relatedness of items, and the thickness represents the strength in the relationship among items (He et al., 2025; Van Eck and Waltman, 2023). In the first cluster, denoted in red, 3 keywords of “information technology, Nigeria, and university libraries” can be found. This cluster portrayed ICT research trend in Nigeria, which is prominent in the deployment of information technology in the university system, such as in teaching (Abidogun, 2011; Elegbede et al., 2024; Jegede and Owolabi, 2003; Ololube, 2013; Onasanya et al., 2010), research (Ani et al., 2015; Eze et al., 2013; Ololube et al., 2013), conduct of examination (Abubakar and Adebayo, 2014), management of academic libraries (Aderibigbe and Ajiboye, 2013; Akwang, 2021; Ani et al., 2015; Anyira, 2013; Asogwa et al., 2021; Augustine, 2021; Baro et al., 2014; Diyaolu and Oso, 2019; Friday and Eze, 2021; Imam and Ilori, 2023; Iwhiwhu and Eyekpegha, 2009; Iwhiwhu, 2005; Kelvin et al., 2012; Oberhiri-Orumah and Baro, 2023), and record management (Abdulkareem et al., 2022b; Egoeze et al., 2018). This showed that most studies adopted in this study investigated the extent of ICT use in the Nigerian education and public service delivery sector (Abdulkareem et al., 2022b; Abidogun, 2011; Abubakar and Adebayo, 2014; Aderibigbe and Ajiboye, 2013; Muhammad et al., 2020). However, the link strength and relatedness between Nigeria and information technology is stronger than that of Nigeria and university libraries.

In the second cluster, denoted in green, keywords such as “communication technology, ICT, and technology” can be observed. This cluster combined elements of e-governance efforts in Nigeria and the need for investment in technology adoption (Adekoya et al., 2005; Adelowo et al., 2023; Akwang, 2021; Dhamodharam and Saminathan, 2011; Oladipo et al., 2016). In this regard, for instance, Abdulkareem and Ramli (2021) investigated the need for crucial investment in promoting digital literacy toward enhancing e-government performance in Nigeria. In the study, they found that the prevalence of the digital divide is a strong determinant of citizens' readiness to access e-services, which then impacts the performance of e-service delivery in Nigeria. In addressing the digital divide, while promoting the use of ICT among elementary students, JAMB has introduced a CBT-based examination platform (Abubakar and Adebayo, 2014). This move exerts pressure on these students to be ICT-compliant, and this indirectly drives digital literacy.

In the third cluster (blue) were “developing countries and e-government.” The cluster positioned e-government as the major springboard for public service delivery transformation among developing countries (Alakitan and Makinde, 2025; Lawan et al., 2019), to which Nigeria belongs. For instance, Abdulkareem et al. (2022a) examined the role of social media in promoting openness of public organizations, participation among citizens, and public trust in e-government. The study found that when the operations of public institutions are made open through social media platforms, citizens develop trust for the e-government project and thus engage in the use of e-services. As furthered by Abdulkareem and Ramli (2021), ensuring openness in government activities encompasses the provision of accurate, easy-to-understand, up-to-date, and reliable information to the e-service users. Complementing information access with e-record management is also crucial to the Nigerian e-government project (Abdulkareem et al., 2022b). In addition, the impact of ICT adoption in enhancing job-related outcomes can be accommodated in this cluster, as explored by Abdulkareem et al. (2024). The study found that digital overload significantly reduces job autonomy, which in turn negatively impacts job satisfaction.

Finally, the fourth cluster in yellow color had “information and communication technology and policy.” This demonstrated the role of policy in promoting the integration of ICT in governance (Adeleke and Adeleke, 2024; Adeyeye and Iweha, 2005; Ajani and Agwu, 2012; Amagoh, 2016; Augustine, 2021; Badamas, 2009; Balogun et al., 2020; Lawan et al., 2019). In this regard, Abdulkareem et al. (2022b), for instance, recommended in their paper that examined e-record readiness at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Nigeria, the need for policies and standards on promoting e-record management in the organization. Similarly, Abubakar and Adebayo (2014), in their study on the prospects and challenges of using CBT for the conduct of examination in Nigeria, recommended that policy initiatives must be directed at promoting this, not just as a way of sanitizing the conduct of examination in Nigeria, but also as a way of promoting the use of ICT among students in the country. However, Adeyeye and Iweha (2005) noted that the issue is not the absence of applicable policies in Nigeria; rather, poor funding, inadequate ICT performance evaluation mechanisms, and conflict of interest are the major ICT adoption-related stakeholders which are factors limiting the effective implementation of ICT in the conduct of governance in Nigeria.

In buttressing the content on Figure 10, the keyword co-occurrence network overlay visualization in Figure 11 examined the time shift in the use of keywords about this study. In 2014 and below, the prevailing authors' keywords for studies on the use of ICT in the Nigerian public administration were information technology, university libraries, and communication technology (Adekoya et al., 2005; Aderibigbe and Ajiboye, 2013; Adomi et al., 2005). By 2015, these keywords were replaced with Nigeria, technology, developing countries, information, and communication, and from 2016, emerging keywords are e-government and ICT (Abdulkareem et al., 2022a,b; Abidogun, 2011; Adeleke and Adeleke, 2024; Adelowo et al., 2023; Anemelu and Nwokolo, 2016; Awalu and Kook, 2019; Choudrie et al., 2017; Elegbede et al., 2024).

In the analysis of the themes in the literature adopted in this study, Biblioshiny was adopted to produce the thematic map (Aria and Cuccurullo, 2017) in Figure 12. In this map were four quadrangles with distinct research themes (Ozen Cinar, 2024). These were motor, niche, basic, and emerging/declining themes (Agyei et al., 2024). Majorly, this map adopted the duo of centrality and density, as equally common to bibliometric analyses (Agyei et al., 2024; Ozen Cinar, 2024; Pandita et al., 2023). Specifically, density represents the development of themes based on the association of internal keywords. Centrality, on the other hand, focused on the importance of themes through external keyword associations. While density is located on the y-axis and measures the growth of the themes, centrality is placed on the x-axis, and it measures theme significance.

Despite the abundance of literature on e-government implementation in Nigeria, concerted efforts have not been directed toward several key areas essential for the progressive development of ICT use in governance. These areas, if not thoroughly investigated, can lead to long-term negative effects on the e-government initiatives of the Nigerian government. For instance, there is a dearth of knowledge in areas dealing with how digital governance initiatives impact different demographic groups, particularly teenagers (Abidogun, 2011; Elegbede et al., 2024), rural communities (Balogun et al., 2020; Kari, 2007), elderly citizens, and persons with disabilities. As important components of the Nigerian society, there is a need for this micro-level analysis to enable the government to structure its policy properly. Specifically in Nigeria, the level of digital divide is concerning, and this affects rural communities and the elderly more, thereby cutting them out of the e-government project. Studies in this regard will not only present the peculiar needs of these marginalized groups, it will also project the facilities needed for integrating people with disability in the digital initiative.

In addition, McGrath and Maiye (2010) emphasized the necessity for studies focused on developing indigenous technologies that are compliant with the local context. An emerging argument posits that technology does not just translate to the use of modern digital tools, but rather it encompasses all techniques, whether traditional or modern, that reduce human effort and resources while enhancing performance and output. Over the years, imported technologies have continued to fail in addressing local challenges, either given the inability of the people to relate effectively with these technologies or due to incompatibility in the application of these technologies. For instance, in voting, the Bimodal Voter's Accreditation System (BVAS) introduced in the 2023 general elections in Nigeria could not read the fingerprints of Nigerians in the rural areas as their fingertips have worn out due to their engagement in manual farming systems. Had it been, there are studies done in investigating the peculiar features of local dwellers and the digital electioneering process, a technology compatible with their demographic features would have been developed to seamlessly identify and accredit them during elections. Using this example, there is therefore a need for dedicated research efforts in domesticating e-governance technologies to match the Nigerian context, rather than the current foreign technology-driven approach.

Furthermore, the findings from the thematic analysis of adopted literature showed that the Nigerian e-governance project is yet to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) platforms such as IoT, big data, and digital twin. These technologies present enhanced service delivery opportunities that leverage computer intelligence to personalize citizens' experience efficiently. Aside from cutting government personnel costs, they offer timely and impactful service, and the current Nigerian public administration will immensely benefit from these platforms (Alakitan and Makinde, 2025). In this study, the need for literature in this regard is highly emphasized to bridge the public service gap currently soiling the image of the Nigerian government. Furthermore, researchers need to further explore other ICT adoption success factors aside from public value, e-service, and digital literacy (Abdulkareem et al., 2022a; Inakefe et al., 2023), peculiar to the Nigerian context.

The recommendations of this study are multifaceted. While some target advancement in knowledge, others focus on improving practice in e-government implementation in Nigeria. First, to advance knowledge, there is a need for further research on the impact of ICT adoption in the Nigerian public administration on vulnerable groups and communities. This can be effectively achieved through a collaborative research network among stakeholders with an interest in advancing the conditions of living of marginalized groups. Doing this could be strategised to incorporate research partnerships among universities, government agencies, and NGOs to conduct empirical studies on technology accessibility and acceptance among elderly citizens, people with disabilities, and teenagers in rural communities. To foster this collaboration, specialized grants for such studies must be funded by either the government or NGOs sharing an interest in the issue.

Furthermore, the application of advanced service-enhancing technologies, such as AI, IoT, and digital twin, requires further investigation in Nigeria. This should be complemented with the development of technologies in the local context and content, possibly in local languages, symbols, and orientations. This can be done through the setting up of innovation labs in each of the geopolitical zones in Nigeria to develop and design technologies suitable for their local communities. Cue could be borrowed from successful indigenous technology adaptations in similar developing economies, such as in South Africa, where indigenous scientists are modernizing indigenous technologies to compete with foreign developed ones. More specifically, efforts in this regard, especially in developing biometric alternatives suitable for agricultural workers and others with worn fingerprints, will significantly promote inclusiveness in subsequent Nigerian elections.

To drive research efforts toward these knowledge gaps, government and academic institutions must fund e-government studies and recognize and reward authors of quality research in this regard. For instance, out of the three most prolific authors of papers adopted in this study, only Aigbavboa from the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, acknowledged funding support from his institution. Others such as Ilori from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, and Abdulkareem from the University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria, received neither funding, recognition, nor reward from their institutions. This absence of support and recognition is demoralizing for further effort investment on the part of these Nigeria-based scholars.

To practice, this study urges the Nigerian government to review its ICT-related policy and research funding efforts. This could start from strengthening the connection between academic research and policy design and implementation. Academic-government fellowship programs, regular policy dialogue between researchers and government officials, are a few of the approaches that could enhance the performance of e-government initiatives in Nigeria. Effective deployment of e-government platforms leverages a combination of technology, regulations, commitment on the part of the government, and citizens' buy-in. The government must facilitate the interaction of these components. As evidenced in most literature adopted in this study, although investment in the procurement of ICT tools in Nigeria and policy review is growing, what is of serious concern is the fluctuating commitment of successive government administrations. Without consistent government commitment to this project, chances are that the project will continue to record fluctuating performance. For the government to redress this trend, strong political will and leadership are desired in ensuring that digital technology integration targets are met, promised investment in technology is fulfilled, regulation and policy stipulations are adhered to, and mass ICT-literacy campaigns are embarked on to create an educated citizens base necessary for the emerging smart world. This is given the notion of Dhamodharam and Saminathan (2011) that “to be educated is to be able to read, write, and use the computer.”