Heads of Internal Audit Departments and Units in Nigerian universities have been advised to adopt Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technology-driven approaches to strengthen transparency, prevent financial leakages, and improve efficiency in institutional financial oversight.

The call was made at the 38th National Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Committee of Heads of Internal Audit Departments and Units of Nigerian Universities, held at the University of Port Harcourt.

In a statement signed by Dr Sam Kpenu, Public Relations Officer,
University of Port Harcourt, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Owunari Abraham Georgewill, in his opening remarks described the theme, “Revolutionising University Internal Auditing Through Technology and Innovation,” as timely and significant. He emphasized that the internal audit function plays a critical role in ensuring accountability and credibility in the management of university resources, adding that the adoption of modern audit tools will help institutions align more effectively with global best practices.

Delivering the keynote address, Professor Emmanuel Ibanichuka stressed the importance of transitioning from manual audit systems to data-driven, technology-enabled procedures. He explained that AI, data analytics, and automation have become essential tools for detecting financial irregularities, strengthening oversight, and supporting evidence-based decision-making within the university system.

In his goodwill message, the Acting Auditor-General of Rivers State, Dr Yorkina Christian, encouraged audit professionals to develop practical capacity in digital auditing tools and foster stronger collaboration with ICT units in their respective institutions. He noted that the successful integration of technology into auditing requires not only improved systems but also consistent ethical conduct, professional discipline, and sustained capacity development.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Chairman of the Committee of Heads of Internal Audit Departments and Units of Nigerian Universities, Dr Boniface Woke, stated that the conference was designed to equip practitioners with contemporary competencies for technology-assisted assurance and advisory services. He emphasized that continued peer learning, supportive policy frameworks, and professional training are vital for embedding innovation across audit functions nationwide.

Participants at the conference resolved to promote the use of AI-assisted analytics, strengthen institutional compliance frameworks, and uphold ethical conduct in audit practice, with the overall goal of enhancing transparency, accountability, and financial governance in Nigerian universities.

Dr Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, said that Nigeria had the highest number of unicorns in Africa worth over one billion dollars.

Tijani said that they had continued to attract investment that deliver jobs, products, and innovation that drive national growth.

He said Nigeria was leading a World Bank-sponsored project to deploy 90,000 kilometres of open-access fibre, developing world’s largest, alongside plans to install 4,000 telecom towers to connect 20 million unserved Nigerians.

Tijani said this at the opening ceremony of the Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibition (DNICE 2025) organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in Abuja.

The three-day event had its theme as “Innovation for a Sustainable Digital Future: Accelerating Growth, Inclusion, and Global Competitiveness.”

Earlier, the Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima had reassured Nigerians that the government’s reforms across sectors and especially the technology ecosystem was yielding significant impact and reposing the confidence of investors.

“The uncertainties of the global economy, shocks, shifting alliances and the rapid displacement of traditional jobs by emerging technologies have compelled us to act boldly.

“Our economic reforms are stabilising the sector, and I am proud to share that these reforms have inspired investor confidence.

“The world is taking note of our steady progress and this is our motivation to stay on course because digital innovation offers us a highway to reach our destination,” he said.

According to him, digital innovation is a sustainable and inclusive answer to our quest for relevance, opportunity and transformation.

The V-P further said the government was ensuring that the gains of economic development trickled down to the common man.

“If we must move beyond the quick means of simple application of technology to building deep tech solutions that address foundational challenges.

“This is such areas as agriculture, health, logistics and governance, we must set our priorities right, build a digital approach that works seamlessly across the country,” he said.

Shettima said that government’s strategy to reshape the country was anchored on developing people, infrastructure development and strong policy frameworks.

“The success of our cashless reforms has positioned Nigeria as one of the most dynamic fin tech ecosystems in the world and now we are opening the next frontier.

“We are in the advanced stage of passing the National Digital Economy and e-governance bill into law.

“This new bill will unlock the era of smarter governance, greater transparency and inclusive service delivery,” he said.

Malam Kashifu Inuwa, Director-General of NITDA, said that with a population of over 220 million and an average age of 18 years, it was imperative for Nigeria to harness the creativity of the youth.

“If we harness the energy, the creativity and talent of our youth, we are not just going to power Nigeria, but we can power the entire Africa into a new era of prosperity.

“If we fail to do that and provide a platform for our youth to create value, we are squandering the most valuable and precious asset we have as a nation.

“The answer to this challenge is our collective ambition to bring these youths together, engage them, provide a platform for them to showcase their creativity and their talents,” he said.

The conference, he said, was being attended by no fewer than 4,800 participants from 12 countries and from 25 states across the country.

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has expressed dissatisfaction over the slow progress of work on the 14.5-kilometer Ndele/Omofo/Egamini/Agba-Ndele Road project located off the East–West Road in Emohua Local Government Area of the state.

Addressing newsmen during an inspection tour of the project on Tuesday, the Governor noted that the pace and quality of work being delivered by the contracting firm, Messrs Stream Co. & Equipment Limited, fell below acceptable standards.

He was accompanied on the tour by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Dr. Austin Ezekiel-Hart, who briefed the Governor on the status of the project and adjoining infrastructure.

Governor Fubara, who appeared visibly unsatisfied with what he saw on the stretch of the road, said his administration would not condone mediocrity or allow public funds to be wasted on underperforming projects. He, therefore, hinted that a review of the contract may be imminent to ensure the delivery of quality infrastructure to the people.

“I can say here already that the contractor handling the road from the bridge to the East–West Road is not doing a good job. I’m not happy about it. When I get back, there will be a need to review that contract because I’m not impressed. They don’t have the capacity, and we need capacity because we must have value for whatever money we’re spending,” the Governor said.

The Governor, however, commended Setraco Nigeria Limited for the standard and pace of work on the 240-meter Agba-Ndele/Abua Bridge, which forms a major component of the project. He explained that the bridge, which his administration inherited, would significantly improve connectivity among communities in the area once completed.

Governor Fubara stated that the bridge will serve as a key link between communities in Abua/Odual, Ahoada-East, and Emohua Local Government Areas, reducing travel time and providing an alternative route to the East–West Road.

He emphasised that the project demonstrates his administration’s commitment to rural connectivity and inter-community access, which are central to his development vision for Rivers State.

“Where we are standing on is a bridge connecting Abua/Odual, Ahoada-East, and Emohua Local Government Areas. The community that is connected to this bridge is Agba-Ndele.

“Instead of running through the East–West Road to Ahoada-East and heading into Port Harcourt or out of it, this bridge provides easy access for the Abua/Odual people to cross into Emohua, Agba-Ndele, and access the East–West Road in minutes,” he explained.

Governor Fubara also expressed optimism that the bridge would be ready for use in early 2026, noting that Setraco’s expertise and performance met his administration’s expectations for quality and delivery timelines.

He highlighted that projects of such importance should be handled by firms with the capacity to meet government standards.

The Governor further remarked that once completed, the bridge would serve as a crucial economic corridor for farmers and traders, especially those involved in agriculture and cultivation of local produce across the beneficiary local government areas.

He maintained that his administration is determined to deliver people-oriented projects that promote connectivity, strengthen commerce, and enhance livelihoods across the State.

“I’m really impressed with what I’ve seen on the bridge. I’m very sure that before the end of January, it might be completely ready for us to walk through and even drive across,” Governor Fubara said.

Reaffirming his vision for Rivers people, the Governor noted that his development plan seeks to integrate all parts of the State through strategic infrastructure investments that promote mobility, social cohesion, and economic growth.

He explained that his government is executing projects across multiple local government areas to ensure balanced development and inclusivity.

Governor Fubara stated that the administration will soon address the deplorable state of the Abua/Ahoada Road, which he said, will be included in the 2026 state budget.

“Our vision is to connect the entire Rivers State together, especially communities that have challenges of access. The bridge here connects Abua/Odual and Ahoada-East to Emohua and Port Harcourt. It will ease movement, promote trade, and boost our economy because agriculture is strong on this side. Moving goods to the city won’t be a problem anymore,” he said.

Governor Fubara reiterated his administration’s commitment to delivering quality infrastructure that provides value for public funds and meets the aspirations of Rivers people.

Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), the state health insurance agency, is to begin the enrolment of the health workforce, following the mandate of the Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, to have alll health workers in the state enrolled.

Based on the governor’s mandate, the Honourable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adaeze Chidinma Oreh has directed the immediate enrolment of health workers starting from Wednesday, 12th November 2025, by RIVCHPP.

Consequently, the Executive Secretary of RIVCHPP, Dr. Vetty Agala, in a statement on Monday, in her office, instructed that enrolment teams will be first deployed to the Ministry of Health, Rivers State Primary Health Management Board (RSPHCMB), Rivers State Hospital Management Board (RSHMB), and Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH).

In the statement, Dr. Agala urged heads of the MDAs to kindly grant RIVCHPP’s team members a space to carry out the enrolment, inform their staff of the enrolment exercise and provide any other support necessary for the seamless enrolment of the health workforce.

The Executive Secretary of RIVCHPP added that all health workers, including non clinical staff, will be covered, saying that nominal rolls will be required from each MDA, while staff should present their ID cards or letters of employment.

Dr. Agala, however, pointed out that only those workers who have valid national identification numbers ( NIN) are eligible for enrolment in line with National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) guidelines.

The Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA) has hailed the decision of the Federal Government to impose a 15% tax on imported petrol and diesel.

The chamber gave the commendation in a statement on Tuesday in Enugu by its President, Sir Odeiga Jideonwo.

According to him, the chamber considers this a step in the right direction—one that will not only help grow the economy but also encourage local production and create more employment opportunities for our teeming youths.

He said that ECCIMA had consistently maintained that the naira cannot appreciate if more than 80 per cent of the country’s needs remained import-dependent.

“The excessive importation of finished goods continues to weaken the value of the naira, particularly when such goods can be produced locally.

“We believe that imposing higher tariffs on imported products that can be manufactured within Nigeria will help protect and revitalize local industries,” he said.

The president recalled that the importation of refined petroleum products into Nigeria dated back to the 1990s, marking the beginning of a gradual economic decline.

This, he noted, had continued to depreciate the country’s naira, stressing the inability of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to revive the three refineries owned by the Federal Government.

“This is coupled with the indiscriminate issuance of fuel importation licenses which has significantly worsened our economic challenges that have proven difficult to overcome.

“Countries such as the United States of America and China have maintained strict policies discouraging the importation of goods that can be produced locally.

“These nations support indigenous industries to meet 100 per cent of domestic needs and also to export,” Jideonwo said.

He explained that satisfying local demand through local production strengthens a country’s balance of trade, disclosing that any government that seeks real change must adopt policies that support domestic industries.

“This is as seen in the economic strategies of leaders like the U.S. President Donald Trump.

“We commend the Chairman of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, for his visionary and determined efforts to restore Nigeria’s reputation in refined petroleum production through his investment in the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

“The refinery is already meeting domestic needs while earning foreign exchange for Nigeria. More investments of this nature are crucial to saving and strengthening our economy.”

According to him, the planned expansion of the refinery’s capacity from 650,000 barrels per day to 1.4 million barrels per day will ensure adequate supply for national consumption.

Jideonwo calls for the issuance of more licenses to indigenous companies to establish refineries in Nigeria since oil remained the nation’s major source of foreign earnings.

He highlighted that players in the sector who demonstrate the capacity to transform Nigeria from a net exporter of crude oil to a net exporter of refined petroleum products should be actively supported by the government and other stakeholders.

“The Federal Government should also eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks that hinder local investors in obtaining refinery licenses. Such reforms will encourage more investors to join the industry, enhance competition, and ensure sufficient supply of petroleum products for both domestic and export markets

“Nigeria can indeed become a global leader and the largest exporter of refined petroleum products if this policy is properly implemented. ECCIMA fully supports every private sector initiative aimed at reviving local refining of our God-given crude oil.

“Accordingly, we endorse any government policy that protects and promotes such private sector efforts.

“We therefore urge all stakeholders to support this policy, while calling on the government to allow more indigenous investors into the refining sector for the sustainable growth of the national economy,” Jideonwo appealed.