We invest in technology for transparency and accountability – Tinubu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said his administration is investing in technology aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability in government.
Tinubu said this would also accelerate public sector performance and service delivery to Nigerians.
He made the remarks in a meeting with Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates on the sidelines of a special World Economic Forum meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday.
The President said technology is a powerful weapon against corruption and financial fraud in the civil service.
He expressed his unwavering commitment to provide reliable technology to assist Nigerians with the national consumer finance system and other important new government interventions.
The president said resistance is often expected when efforts are made to strengthen systems and deter fraud.
“Technology is the enemy of fraud, corruption and fraud. We have strived to improve our technology.
“There will always be resistance initially. Corruption, self-interest and malfeasance are always the enemy, but if we bend that curve we can benefit,” Tinubu said.
Mr. Tinubu reflected on how, as governor, he introduced technology to strengthen the revenue base of Lagos State, saying he ensured the collection and utilization of critical data and created an efficient tax system in the state. .
“When I was the Governor of Lagos State, we faced a challenge. We started with 600 million Naira, but we ended up with over 8 billion Naira. And now they are leveraging technology in the state. The target is 1 trillion naira.
“There are no other shortcuts. We have to invest in technology. We have to be focused, diligent, and work hard,” the president said.
In his remarks, Gates outlined the importance of data harmonization for planning, security, and tax efficiency, and informed the president about the One Identity technology platform that can unify disparate data.
“We are working on digitalization with the Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs and Minister of Finance, Mr. Wale Edun.
“Before you took office, there were some attempts at identity management. But they were very scattered. There were multiple identification systems.
“We now have plans to use a technology called MOSIP for this identification platform to enable people to access digital benefits.
“We are providing support for that and we can provide even more support,” he said.
According to him, MOSIP ID will help streamline payments and manage bank accounts, and ultimately, everyone will use it to make tax collection easier.
“It will take several years before we see the benefits. But there will be more bank accounts, more financial inclusion, and effective government payment programs,” he said.
Gates believes Nigeria is capable of managing this system and related technology systems because it is full of talented young people.
“When I last visited the Microsoft office in Lagos, I saw the great work they are doing and how they are growing their business.
“So there is a lot of Nigerian talent that can manage these systems,” he said.
The businessman also spoke about several high-yielding seeds and various crops that have the potential to improve productivity and nutrition in all regions of the country.
He said countries such as the United States and Brazil are using these seeds and they have been tested and proven to be safe.
“There are no safety issues with these seeds. We feel it is important and worth supporting the Minister of Agriculture's efforts in this regard,” Gates added.
Source: guardian.ng