The rate at which integration of digital technology is transforming Nigerian businesses keeps growing and yet still delivering value to their customers, has brought forth an increased call for more innovations in the Nigerian technological space in order to fully maximise the opportunities that come with this transformation.
John Obaro, a renowned Nigerian ICT expert and Managing Director of SystemSpecs, believes that digital transformation which is the process of using technologies to create new or modify existing business culture, processes, and customers’ experiences to meet dynamic market and business needs, is actually transforming Nigerian businesses.
Obaro, spoke at a virtual retreat recently organised by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Information Technology (IT) department, where he made it known that more businesses have keyed in to digital technology as a potential growth and sustenance driver, to transform Nigerian businesses especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.
He further emphasised on how innovation in digital transformation transforms Nigerian businesses just as reflected in the successful emergence of SystemSpecs, a 28-year old technology company, has helped the firm evolve from a 5-man software firm to an African tech giant with ground-breaking solutions including Remita, HumanManager, and Paylink, He said further:
“Our innovation is business-led as it remains at the core of our operations. This implies that we continually evolve by adopting and harnessing tailor-made technology solutions to solve problems. We also ensure that we hire the best talent with top-notch competence and skills that can be inculcated into the business for growth and sustenance,”
He charged Chief Information Technology Officers (CIO) to up their games as they are expected to keep the organisation’s infrastructure running and support business processes in line with present-day technology.
“To facilitate a successful digital transformation, the CIO must have clear objections, as well as take the front seat in driving organisational change, and ensure that relevant stakeholders are involved to achieve such set goals,” Obaro added.
On issues that mitigate digital transformation, he said, lack of expertise, having an organisational structure that supports innovation, employee push-back, rigid organisational structure, and lack of a digitisation strategy can be tackled by regular staff sensitisation staff, implementing changes in phases, and operating with a defined budget are but to name a few.
Obaro also said that Nigeria’s large youthful population constitute a strength that must be maximised coupled with the adoption of emerging technologies – AI, robotics, machine learning – to achieve digital transformation.
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