International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Reviews Vol.5 No.2, June, 2015; p.132 – 147, (ISSN: 2276-8645) 132 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (ICTs) AND PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY IN THE NIGERIAN FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES NWACHUKWU, LAMBERT CHIDI, PhD Department of Public Administration, Madonna University, Okija, Anambra State. +2348033618400, +2348095611611, nwagodchidi@yahoo.com & PEPPLE, SUNNY J. Department of Political Science, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, +2348033096204, sunnypepple@yahoo.com Abstract This study examines the opportunities and challenges of utilizing Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) as a means of public service delivery in the Nigerian federal civil service. The study adopted the communications theory as its theoretical framework and argued that ICTs present enormous opportunities to enhance public service delivery in the Nigerian Federal civil service. The study therefore, revealed that the utilization of ICTs for public service delivery in the Nigerian federal civil service presents a sustainable and innovative approach to addressing traditional problems of service delivery in the country. The study also revealed that ICTs initiatives for public service delivery in the federal civil service is hampered by many challenges and problems such as lack of ICTs infrastructure; low ICTs literacy and usage; problem of digital divide; inadequate ICTs funding by the government; Nigeria's epileptic power supply; poor institutional governance structure to drive ICTs, etc. Nevertheless, the study argued strongly and concluded that ICTs remain a veritable instrument of enhancing public service delivery in the federal civil service. ICTs have the great potentials to saving costs while improving quality, response time and access to services; improving the efficiency, effectiveness and responsiveness of public administration; increasing transparency in administration due to ease of access to government information, rules and procedures, resulting in openness and accountability; reducing corruption and increasing popular participation; making governments more competitive and reducing bureaucracy; re- engineering administrative processes and modernising service delivery; and bringing about social and economic development. Key Words: Information and Communication Technologies, E-Government, E-Service, Public Service Delivery, Civil Service. Introduction Institutions are central to the development process (North, 1990). The civil service, an institution at the heart of governmental policy formulation and implementation, influences in no small ways, the success or failure of governments. This is why the civil service of any nation is generally regarded as the pivot that will promote socio-economic and political development (World Bank, 1997; Oyeleran- Oyeyinka, 2006). Accordingly, the efficiency of the state is most often predicated on the character and methods of the civil service. This is why Santoy (1957:9), argued that “an efficient civil service, trained in the specialist task of carrying out the broad decision of the government, is a necessity if the government is to fulfil the functions the pubic expects from it” and that, “no modern state is able to exist without a highly complex and professional civil service organisation”.