Initiated by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Canada Fund for Africa, the Technology in Government in Africa (TIGA) Awards are designed to recognise the work of African governments in the effective use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for public services delivery. The objectives of the award are to:

• create greater awareness on the role of ICTs in public services and the development process within the framework of the African Information Society Initiative (AISI);
• encourage African governments and institutions to use ICTs for development in general and improved public/citizen's services in particular; and
• motivate other African stakeholders in effective utilisation of ICTs for citizen's services.

Entries can be made for projects in the following categories:

• Public service delivery to citizens/communities - projects to improve government service delivery (such as service application forms, tax payments, revenue collection, birth and death registration, other forms of government eServices, etc.) with a specific focus on citizens or businesses as clients of government.
• Improved health services through the use of ICT - projects to improve online and government eServices for health service delivery, with a specific focus on citizens as clients of government.
• Improved educational services through the use of ICTs - online as well as government eServices for education service delivery, with a specific focus on citizens as clients of government.
• Public Private Partnership (PPP) - projects to improve financial service delivery (such as customs, banks, insurance, trade facilitation, etc.), with a specific focus on citizens as clients of government.

Click here for more information about the award.

Deadline for applications is January 31 2009.

Applicants are required to submit a full description of the project under each category entered. In addition, a completed application form should accompany all entries. The project description should clearly illustrate the benefits to government clients of the category entered, based on the selection criteria, including government effectiveness in terms of reducing costs, effective delivery of public services and improved accessibility to citizens, and fostering local talent and creating synergies between the private and public sectors.

Click here to download the announcement and nomination form in PDF format.

TIGA website on November 15 2008.