Moving beyond repetitive paperwork and administrative bottlenecks – Conecta gov.br enables real-time, secure data exchange between government agencies, making public services faster and more efficient for citizens and businesses.

The Bureaucratic Burden of Data Fragmentation

One of the biggest challenges in public administration is data fragmentation - the lack of seamless integration between government agencies, leading to duplicated processes, inefficiencies, and unnecessary burdens on individuals. In Brazil, citizens and businesses often had to submit the same personal or organizational information multiple times to access public services. Each interaction with a different agency required filling out new forms, resubmitting existing documents, and waiting for manual verification, resulting in long waits, unnecessary paperwork and repeated interactions.

This fragmented approach delayed service delivery and increased administrative costs, and while some agencies had digital records and interoperability mechanisms, many relied on paper-based or isolated databases that were incompatible with other platforms. Without a standardized method of data-sharing, cross-agency collaboration remained slow, costly, and inefficient.

The need for a secure, standardized, and automated method of exchanging government data became evident. A solution was required to eliminate redundant bureaucracy, enhance intergovernmental coordination, and improve public service delivery – all while maintaining compliance with data protection laws and ensuring public trust.

Conecta gov.br: A Unified Platform for Government Data Exchange

Management and Innovation in Public Services (MGI) built Conecta gov.br - a national interoperability platform that enables secure, real-time, and automated data exchange between public institutions. Instead of requiring citizens and businesses to repeatedly submit the same information, agencies can now retrieve, validate, and cross-check data instantly, reducing bureaucracy and accelerating service delivery.

Interoperability is now one of the pillars of the Brazilian National Data Infrastructure, which is a set of policies, regulations, tools, and people aimed at integrating, qualifying, analysing, opening and protecting data for strategic use. The Brazilian National Data Infrastructure was established in September 2024 and includes, among other pillars, initiatives in data governance and management.

Conceived in 2018–2019 and officially launched in 2020, Conecta gov.br was built as a secure API-driven platform designed to function as a centralized hub for government data-sharing. It offers:

• Government API Catalog: A structured registry of APIs that enables agencies to seamlessly access verified data sources, eliminating manual requests and delays.
  
  

• API Management System: A governance tool that ensures secure access, compliance with Brazil’s General Data Protection Law (LGPD), and real-time monitoring of data-sharing activities.

By linking agencies to authoritative data sources, such as citizen identification, tax records, income verification, and business registration, the platform eliminates redundant paperwork, speeds up processes, and enhances data security. This translated into the following key benefits:

• Elimination of Bureaucratic Redundancies: Citizens and businesses no longer need to resubmit the same information across agencies.
  
  

• Faster Public Service Delivery: Over 1,000 public services have been streamlined through automated data retrieval.
  
  

• Significant Cost Savings: Since 2020 and up until February 2025, Conecta gov.br has saved the government and citizens BRL 7.72 billion (nearly USD 1.4 billion), with BRL 3.21 billion (about USD 570 million) in 2024 alone,  by reducing administrative overhead and citizen efforts (source).
  
  

• Scalability and Expansion: Initially implemented at the federal level, the platform is now being adopted by state and municipal governments to ensure nationwide interoperability.
  
  

• Enhanced Data Security and Compliance: The system enforces strict access controls, encryption, and LGPD compliance, ensuring secure data protection.
  
  

Since its launch and up until February 2025, 180 federal government entities and 27 states have joined Conecta gov.br, processing over 1.7 billion secure transactions (source), utilizing more than 75 APIs cataloged in the Government API Catalog, more than 30 of which are available through the interoperability platform. By reducing bureaucracy, automating data-sharing, and improving accessibility, the platform has set a new standard for digital public services in Brazil.

Brazil’s Building Blocks for Making Conecta gov.br as Success

Foundations: Governance and Stakeholder Involvement

Conecta gov.br was developed as part of Brazil’s Digital Transformation Strategy, set in 2018. Its implementation was backed by Decree 10,046 (2020), which set legal guidelines for government data-sharing and ensured compliance with LGPD.

A citizen-first approach was central to building Conecta gov.br. Civil society organizations were consulted to ensure that the platform addressed real-world needs and promoted transparency. Instead of allowing agencies to dictate data-sharing priorities, the Digital Government Secretariat analyzed the most frequently requested documents - such as identification numbers, income verification, social benefit recipients and rural property registries - to reduce unnecessary burdens on citizens and businesses. By shifting responsibility for data exchange from individuals to public institutions, the government cut redundant paperwork and service delays.

Agencies initially were reluctant to exchange data due to concerns over security, control, and governance. To address this, the initiative focused on collaboration, involving agencies in design, testing, and platform refinement. Regulatory alignment provided legal certainty, and training programs helped public servants integrate their systems. Additionally, the Digital Government Secretariat actively supported each agency in setting up and executing their digital transformation plans, ensuring a smooth transition to automated data-sharing. Over time, agencies recognized that automated data-sharing reduced workloads, improved efficiency, and cut operational costs, leading to broad adoption. The Digital Government Secretariat also acts as an intermediary, facilitating dialogue between those who need data and those who are data controllers.

Delivery Mode: Free Access to Data as a Key Incentive

The rollout of Conecta gov.br was designed to be both gradual and strategic, ensuring that key government agencies adopted the platform as it was expanded nationwide.

To accelerate adoption, the federal government removed financial barriers by offering free access to critical data for public agencies. Previously, agencies often had to pay for access to key datasets, which discouraged integration. With Conecta gov.br, the government centralised procurement and covered all costs, allowing agencies to join without financial constraints.

This incentive structure worked effectively because it (i) removed cost barriers, making integration an easy decision; (ii) demonstrated immediate value, allowing agencies to benefit from real-time data access without lengthy budget approvals; and (iii) streamlined procurement, eliminating bureaucratic delays that existed prior to the launch of Conecta gov.br.

This approach proved to be a game changer, resulting in 300 successful integrations within the first year, far exceeding initial expectations. Initially launched at the federal level, Conecta gov.br is now being scaled up to state and municipal governments, enabling seamless data sharing and interoperability across all levels of public administration.

Technology: The Digital Backbone of Conecta gov.br

Conecta gov.br operates on a secure, API-driven infrastructure designed to facilitate automatic and secure information exchange between government systems. Central to the platform is the Government API Catalog, which consolidates available APIs, allowing agencies to seamlessly access verified data sources and eliminate manual requests. An API Management System provides governance tools that ensure secure access, compliance with Brazil’s General Data Protection Law (LGPD), and efficient monitoring of data-sharing activities. 

Conecta gov.br is supported by public sector technology providers, including Serpro and Dataprev, which ensure the infrastructure can handle high-volume transactions efficiently. This technological infrastructure has facilitated over 1.7 billion secure transactions up until February 2025, underscoring Conecta gov.br's role in transforming digital public services in Brazil.

As the platform expands to state and municipal levels, a broader group of stakeholders differing in maturity, scale, and resources comes with new challenges. Establishing a viable financing model tailored to different levels of government is an ongoing effort, with discussions underway to ensure continued adoption and support. The initiative is also exploring scalable solutions to maintain efficiency and drive long-term impact across all public administration levels.