Experts Highlight Conditions for Digital Transformation in Nigeria

By Peter Uzoho

Some professionals have outlined certain conditions that Nigeria needs to meet to fully adopt digital transformation for the development of its economy.

Presenting a paper titled, ‘Digital Disruption: Implications for Businesses,’ at the 2018 KPMG Alumni Cocktail in Lagos at the weekend, the Managing  Director, Venture Garden Group, Mr. Bunmi Akinyemiju, stressed that Nigeria needs to build ecosystems, form partnerships,train talents, and make capital available for investment.

He said to create the needed environment for digital transformation in the country, firms,financial institutions, consumers, corporates, government, regulators, among others, have toforge strong collaboration.

He added, “You need to create the right environment; create a community, because digital disruption is not something you get five people involved and they make it happen.

“You actually need that whole ecosystem to come together. You need partnership – you can’t do it alone; partner with start-ups, partner with foreign companies, partner with theinstitutions, and so on. And then, training.

“Our population is replete with a huge talented young men and women that we can leverageon to maximise the potential of digital disruption. We have them here in Nigeria and many of them are also in the Diaspora.

“We need data, data is the new oil, data enables and accelerates digital transformation. Again, we need to have more entrepreneurship, more innovators to drive this.

“And we need government to put the right policies in place. So, when you combine all these, incredible things happen.”

Also speaking, Executive Director, IT Operations, Access Bank, Mr. Ade Bajomo, said organisations need to prepare ahead to be able to confront issues around digital disruptions for the benefit of their organisations.

On his part, the Associate Director, Technology Advisory, KPMG, Mr. Ladi Asuni, said new skills particularly, in the digital space should be embraced.

He added, “For us, we see disruption as an opportunity first, and in terms of how we’re responding to it. We realised the impact of disruption even in the work we do and the service we provide to our clients.

“So, in responding to it, we’re looking at our business model; how do we deliver services to our clients, how can we infuse digital into making even our own work more efficient?”