Data Tracking Can Help Reduce Corruption in Nigeria — Analaize CEO

The Chief Executive Officer of Analaize, Mmadubuko Michael, has identified poor data management and tracking as a major challenge affecting Nigeria’s economy and political system.

Mmadubuko stated this while speaking with National Focus during a telephone interview, where he advocated the use of technology to improve transparency and accountability in government.

He said cases of alleged embezzlement of public funds could be reduced if the financial activities of elected officials, including presidents, governors and senators, were tracked through a centralised digital system throughout their time in office.

According to him, such a system would make it possible for citizens and relevant authorities to monitor government spending and track the costs of projects executed by public officials.

“As long as they are in seat, you know how money is being spent on the road you are commissioning, you know how much is being spent on the water project you are commissioning, you know how much is being spent on the school project you are commissioning,” he said.

Mmadubuko argued that corruption would remain difficult to effectively track without a reliable system for monitoring the activities and financial decisions of public officials at different levels of government.

“So you cannot tell me you want to track corruption where there is no way for you to track each activity done by a particular senator, governor, local government chairman or an individual who you call a part of your government,” he said.

He criticised the continued reliance on paper records, noting that physical documents could be destroyed, making it difficult to recover important information about government projects and spending.

Mmadubuko suggested that digital record-keeping could provide a more secure way of preserving government information, even when physical infrastructure or documents are lost.

“But if there was a system, I don’t care about the building falling down. I don’t care fine, it’s a big loss in terms of finances of rebuilding the building but then I am able to still withhold every information that was burned down on that system,” he said.

He added that digital systems could allow authorised users to access stored information and track government activities without depending entirely on physical records.

The Analaize CEO said improved data systems could therefore strengthen transparency and make it easier to monitor public projects, spending and the activities of government officials.