E-PPAN Targets Increased IGR for States, Federal Government

Emma Okonji

Electronic Payment Providers Association of Nigeria (E-PPAN), the organiser of e-Government Summit, has said the target of the 2016 edition of the summit is to increase internally generated revenue (IGR), for state governments as well as the federal government.

The association also announced a shift in the date of the summit from July to September this year, to enable it make adequate preparation and awareness creation that will boost the summit.
Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, E-PPAN, Mrs. Regha Onajite, who made the announcement in Lagos, said the summit earlier scheduled for July 12 and13 would now hold from September 27 and 28, 2016 in Abuja.

Onajite added that the summit was moved to guarantee active participation of more stakeholders from both the private and public sectors.

“This year’s summit with the theme: “Attaining Increased IGR; Efficiency and Accountability in Government through Smart Innovation,” draws home the current issue facing state governments and the vast opportunity in leveraging e-payment and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as an alternative measure in generating and increasing IGR in an accountable and efficient manner,” Onajite said.

She explained that the timeliness of the summit gives all stakeholders the opportunity to key into the summit, which will showcase an array of smart solutions to boost IGR in the state government, “instead of solely depending on the federal government for statutory allocation, which has been greatly affected by the dwindling oil revenue.”

“With reports indicating that 15 states in the federation are going bankrupt due to declining IGR, coupled with the apparent lack of transparency and accountability in the traditional way of revenue collection,” Onajite said, adding deployment of innovative and smart ICT solutions and adoption of best-practice strategies would rescue states from their current financial doldrums.
This year’s e-government summit is being organised, in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and put together by a Local Organising Committee made up of representatives from CBN, Galaxy Backbone, FSS2020, NITDA, National Pension Commission (PENCOM), FSS 2020 and E-PPAN.

According to her, “The summit, therefore, gives every state government an unparallel opportunity to amass knowledge, expertise, and solutions that will keep them afloat in the face of impending bankruptcy.”

“To extensively address the theme of the summit, the two-day intensive discourse will be centered on providing real-time solutions that will catalyse a paradigm shift from the norm in revenue generation, data management and opportunities for shared infrastructure in government to reduce cost and overhead, among others, to delivering developmental impacts in addressing the multi-faceted and complex challenges we face in Nigeria,” Onajite said.

She further added that the summit was an initiative borne out of the desire to enhance government frameworks on techno-interactive fora, which support e -government strategy, strengthen institutions and build capacities of public servants.