Lagos State commissioner for finance, Rabiu Olowo has said technological innovations were critical to drive the THEMES agenda of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration.
The THEMES is derived from Transportation and Traffic Management, Health and Environment, Education and Technology, Economy, Entertainment and Tourism as well as Security (THEMES), which form the pillars through Sanwo-Olu hopes to deliverance good governance to Lagosians.
Olowo speaking at a roundtable panel discussion on “Finance agility in digital world: Nigeria branch discuss 2019”, organised by Chartered Institute of Management Accountant (CIMA), in Lagos, said the government is conscious of the role technology plays in delivering quality governance and is leveraging it.
“To take Lagos to the next-level, digitisation and technology innovations is set to play crucial roles in the implementation of the administration’s THEMES agenda, especially in the education sector from 2020.
“Digitisation and technology will cut across and drive innovation in transportation and traffic management, health and environment, education and technology, making Lagos a 21st century economy, entertainment and tourism; and security and good governance,” Olowo said.
He noted that though the private sector “is a notch higher than public sector in digitalisation of their operations, the public sector will ultimately catch up.”
The commissioner said that the government accords priority to digital transformation of the state’s financial system, and “though there are challenges, lots of opportunities abound in digital innovations in the state’s public sector.
“Technology is the loop to trigger innovations, improve financial system, grow businesses and transform the society. But for technology to achieve desired impacts, people need to be equipped and motivated to be able to leverage on digital innovations in manners that benefit individuals and society,” he said.
Olowo, however, observed that for technology to thrive and be effective in driving business and achieve better financial system, all stakeholders “must respect regulations. ofregulations.
In his keynote address, Stephanie Beuvelet, the CEO of 9mobile said people and business “need to anticipate coming digital transformation, and that a lot of rapid changes would soon take place, especially in robotic engineering, artificial intelligence and mobile technology, as they would soon be faster, better and more clever.
JOSHUA BASSEY
