Details of a meeting between President Bola Tinubu and Andres Garcia, Oracle Global Vice President for North, East, and West Africa, Levant, and Turkey, have been revealed. The meeting took place at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa in Abuja before President Tinubu’s departure for the G20 Summit in India.
In a statement issued by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu highlighted the need for cutting-edge technology to enhance e-governance, promote prudent financial management, and foster economic growth. He emphasized that accurate data and advanced data management capabilities were essential for building and strengthening Nigeria’s institutions.
President Tinubu expressed concern about the country’s bloated civil service payroll at both the national and sub-national levels. He stressed that technology would play a crucial role in addressing this issue, saying, “Each time they give me the payroll number, I get so frightened. Where am I going to get the capital to develop the infrastructure we desperately require if the payroll of 1% – 2% of the population is consuming all the revenue? I think we need a tight technological control that can check and balance all necessary control points of our transaction processes. I’m looking forward to working with Oracle because I have the belief and confidence that you can do it as you have in the past.”
In response, Garcia proposed a comprehensive digital transformation of the federal administration’s work processes to enhance macro-economic visibility, streamline government operations for cost and time savings, and provide skill development opportunities for Nigerians.
The meeting underscores the Nigerian government’s commitment to harnessing technology to improve governance, efficiency, and economic development. President Tinubu’s engagement with Oracle signals a potential partnership to advance the nation’s digital capabilities and address critical challenges, including the management of public funds and the optimization of government processes.
