Governor Mallam Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has reaffirmed the state’s commitment to digital transformation as he declared open the 19th Zonal Conference of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in Dutse.
In his address, the governor underscored Jigawa’s strategic in the ICT sector initiatives, which were designed to position the state as a key player in the emerging global digital economy. He particularly mentioned the establishment of the Jigawa State ICT & Digital Economy Agency, a government-backed initiative to harness the benefits of the 4th Industrial Revolution.
“Recently, Jigawa State has established an agency backed by law titled Jigawa State ICT & Digital Economy Agency to ensure that Jigawa State is not left behind in reaping the benefits offered by the 4th Industrial Revolution. This was borne out of our firm belief that the digital economy is a major driver of innovation, competitiveness, and growth, which are essential for sustainable economic development,” Governor Namadi said.
He highlighted Jigawa State’s forward-thinking collaboration with GLUWA through the Office of the Vice President of Nigeria, aimed at enhancing the state’s capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI) tagging and blockchain technology. efforts are expected to generate thousands of digital jobs for Jigawa’s youth, further integrating the state into the global tech landscape.
“Our partnership with GLUWA reflects our commitment to ensuring Jigawa benefits from the ICT revolution,” the governor said.
Governor Namadi also took the opportunity to express his gratitude to ICAN for consistently recognizing Jigawa State’s leadership in financial accountability and transparency, assuring that Jigawa State will continue to collaborate with ICAN to build capacity within the state’s public sector, particularly in professional accounting.
As Jigawa continues to rank among the top-performing states in the ICAN Accountability Index, the governor reiterated the importance of accountability and transparency in governance.
“As you know, Jigawa State is one of the best performing states in this respect, as attested by our performance in the ICAN Accountability Index, in which Jigawa State has consistently continued to be among the top three best performing states.”
“Let me also reiterate that Jigawa State Government would continue to collaborate with ICAN in supporting professional accountants in the State Public Service to build their capacity to enable them to practice the profession in accordance with emerging global best practices and requirements of the Accounting Profession. We would continue to sponsor them to attend professional seminars and conferences being organized by the Institute.”
