E-Governance and Government-Citizen Interactions in Oyo State: A Study of Oyo Metropolis

This study investigates the impact of e-governance on government-citizen interactions in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, addressing a gap in existing literature. Drawing upon Social Capital Theory and Institutional Theory, the research examines digital literacy levels, awareness, and the effectiveness of e-governance initiatives in enhancing citizen engagement. Utilizing a descriptive research design, data was collected purposefully from 100 civil servants directly involved with e-governance platforms in Oyo State, employing a structured questionnaire titled E-Governance and Government-Citizen Interaction (EGOCI). The study used inferential tools for data analysis. The hypotheses were tested using ANOVA analysis. Analysis revealed moderate levels of digital literacy (¯x =2.98) and awareness among citizens in Ibadan (¯x=2.93), with a general agreement on the positive impact of e-governance on governmentcitizen interactions ((¯x =3.05). Findings also showed that there exists a significant impact of e-governance on government-citizen interactions in Ibadan, Oyo State (F= 14.575, P<0.05). Findings suggest e-governance holds promise for enhancing government-citizen interactions by improving digital literacy, awareness, and fostering positive perceptions of effectiveness. The study recommends that more focus should be on extensive outreach and education initiatives to enhance digital literacy and awareness, along with continuous monitoring and evaluation of e-governance initiatives to ensure ongoing improvement.