NITDA Urges Nigerian Universities to Adopt Digital Financial Systems

NITDA has called on Nigerian universities to implement digital financial management systems for better transparency and accountability.

NITDA's Call for Digital Transformation

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has urged Nigerian universities to adopt digital financial management systems. This call aims to enable real-time tracking of funds, improve transparency, and curb revenue leakages, according to thesun.ng.

NITDA's Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, highlighted the need for digital transformation in university administration. He emphasized that it should extend beyond acquiring technological tools to include changes in institutional processes, leadership, and culture.

Benefits of Digital Financial Systems

Inuwa outlined several benefits of adopting digital financial systems, such as eliminating administrative bottlenecks and allowing multiple stakeholders to process transactions simultaneously. He noted that these systems would strengthen accountability, improve efficiency, and support evidence-based decision-making.

He also identified five critical shifts needed for modernizing university financial management, including moving to cashless campuses and adopting real-time financial dashboards.

Challenges and Considerations

While advocating for digital systems, Inuwa cautioned against adopting technologies without considering data protection, cybersecurity, and staff capacity. He stressed the importance of matching investment in digital infrastructure with staff training and behavioral change.

Inuwa warned that failure to provide reliable financial information could undermine public confidence and threaten university autonomy.

Sources

• thesun.ng: NITDA seeks real-time tracking of university funds
• Nigerian CommunicationWeek: NITDA DG Advocates Digital Transformation, Transparency in University Financial Management

Prepared with AI from the sources below and our own data, reviewed by the editors before publishing.