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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has urged Nigerian universities to adopt digital financial management systems to enable real-time tracking of funds, improve transparency and curb revenue leakages.
The agency said automated financial platforms, cashless payment systems and real-time financial dashboards would strengthen accountability, improve institutional efficiency and support evidence-based decision-making in the university system.
The Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, made the call while delivering a presentation titled, “Strengthening Financial Governance and Risk Management in Nigerian Universities,” at an engagement organised by the Committee of Vice Chancellors Training Institute in Abuja.
According to a statement issued by the agency, Inuwa, who was represented by the Director of Special Duties, Dr Aristotle Onumo, said digital transformation in university administration should go beyond acquiring computers and other technological tools to include changes in institutional processes, leadership, organisational culture and staff behaviour.
He said automated platforms would eliminate administrative bottlenecks by allowing multiple stakeholders to review, process and approve transactions simultaneously while ensuring proper documentation and accountability.
“It is not about computers. It’s not about technology. It’s about processes. It’s about people. It’s about culture. It’s about behaviour,” he said.
The NITDA boss stressed that university autonomy and increased funding must be accompanied by stronger financial monitoring, transparent reporting and verifiable records.
He warned that the inability of institutions to provide reliable financial information could undermine public confidence and threaten the sustainability of the autonomy they enjoy.
“Our universities have worked hard for the autonomy, but transparency is how it can begin,” he said.
Inuwa identified five critical shifts required to modernise university financial management, including moving from multiple ledgers to a single source of financial information, cash-based transactions to cashless campuses, after-the-fact audits to continuous assurance, periodic financial reports to real-time dashboards, and suspicion-based oversight to intelligence-driven management.
He said the changes would help universities monitor expenditure, track revenue, prevent fraudulent practices, minimise revenue leakages and improve financial projections.
He also urged university administrators to leverage Nigeria’s existing digital payments infrastructure and adopt enterprise resource planning solutions to integrate their financial operations.
However, he cautioned against adopting digital technologies without adequate consideration of data protection, cybersecurity, staff capacity and dependence on technology vendors.
He emphasised that investment in digital infrastructure must be matched with staff training and behavioural change to ensure effective implementation.
“An ERP with untrained staff is like an expensive typewriter,” he said.
Inuwa reaffirmed NITDA’s commitment to supporting the digital transformation of the university system through policy frameworks, digital literacy, capacity building, innovation and strategic partnerships with educational institutions.
