Ododo, Auditors-General Partner on AI-Driven Audit, Accountability for Grassroots Development
Kogi Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has urged Auditors-General for Local Governments to deploy AI and digital tools to curb financial leakages, strengthen accountability and protect public funds.
Lokoja, August 10, 2026
Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has called for stronger collaboration between Auditors-General for Local Governments and government institutions through the deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies to improve public financial management and ensure that resources at the grassroots translate into tangible development.
The Governor made the call on Monday while declaring open the 30th Annual Conference of Auditors-General for Local Governments in Nigeria, holding in Lokoja from August 10 to 14, 2026.
The conference, with the theme, “Repositioning Auditors-General for Governance Excellence in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Towards Global Best Practices in Local Government Audit,” brings together senior auditing professionals to examine the changing demands of public-sector accountability in the digital era.
Speaking from his experience as a former Auditor-General for Local Governments in Kogi State, Governor Ododo said the responsibility of auditors goes beyond examining financial records and preparing reports, stressing that public funds must be protected because every allocation is ultimately tied to the needs of citizens.
He noted that behind every budgetary provision lies a human need, whether a road requiring construction, a school in need of improvement, a hospital expected to provide healthcare or an economic opportunity capable of improving the lives of young people.
The Governor maintained that while compliance remains fundamental to public financial management, value for money must remain at its heart, particularly as Local Governments assume greater financial responsibilities.
According to him, the financial autonomy of Local Governments, as affirmed by the Supreme Court, makes transparency, prudence and accountability at the grassroots even more important.
He consequently urged auditors to embrace technologies such as data analytics, machine learning, predictive modelling and geospatial intelligence to identify unusual transactions, assess emerging risks and facilitate early intervention in financial management.
Governor Ododo, however, cautioned that technology must complement rather than replace professional integrity and human judgment.
He explained that while AI could identify patterns and flag questionable transactions, it remained the responsibility of trained auditors to determine whether such transactions resulted from errors, misconduct or legitimate government activities.
The Governor further disclosed that his administration had continued to strengthen the state’s audit institutions following the commissioning of the Kogi State Audit House earlier in the year.
He said the facility was being equipped with modern auditing technologies, while contract audit staff engaged during his tenure as Auditor-General for Local Governments were being converted to permanent appointments.
He also disclosed plans for a statewide recruitment exercise aimed at strengthening manpower within the state’s audit system.
According to Governor Ododo, Kogi State has also entered into a four-year Memorandum of Understanding with the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation and state audit offices for capacity development.
He urged participants at the conference to ensure that the gathering produces more than resolutions, charging them to return to their respective duties with renewed commitment to professional courage, independence, technological innovation and service to the public.
Earlier, the Auditor-General for Local Governments in Kogi State, Hon. Yakubu Siaka Adabenege, expressed appreciation to Governor Ododo for approving the financing and hosting of the conference in the state.
Adabenege said the Governor’s support reflected the administration’s commitment to transparency, accountability and good governance, adding that the conference provides an important platform for auditors from across the country to develop new approaches to public-sector auditing.
He also commended the leadership of the Conference of Auditors-General and participating colleagues for their presence, pledging to continue to discharge his responsibilities with diligence and integrity.
The Kogi Auditor-General stressed that modern auditing should not be restricted to identifying financial errors, but should also help strengthen systems, safeguard public resources and rebuild citizens’ confidence in government.
Also speaking, the Auditor-General for the Federation, Dr. Shaakaa Kanyitor Chira, described the theme of the conference as timely, noting that the growing digitalisation of public financial management was creating new opportunities as well as emerging risks for the auditing profession.
Chira said auditors must develop the skills and methodologies required to effectively examine digital transactions, electronic procurement systems, cybersecurity threats, automated processes and data integrity.
He equally warned against the misconception that the deployment of AI could absolve auditors of responsibility, stressing that professional judgment and ethical accountability must remain central to the auditing process.
The Auditor-General for the Federation further linked effective auditing to the successful implementation of Local Government financial autonomy, saying increased resources at the grassroots should result in better roads, primary healthcare, basic education, water supply, sanitation, agricultural support and other services that directly affect citizens.
He therefore called for sustained investment in human capital and urged auditors to acquire competence in data analytics, digital auditing, cybersecurity, forensic techniques and other emerging technologies.
The conference is expected to provide an avenue for auditors and other public-sector stakeholders to examine ways of adapting the profession to the rapidly changing technological environment while strengthening financial accountability and ensuring that public resources deliver measurable value to communities.