The Lagos State Government has urged the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) to take the lead in harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to strengthen accountability, financial governance and digital transformation in the public sector.
The Commissioner for Finance, Abayomi Oluyomi, gave the charge on Thursday at the 17th Annual Public Lecture and Investiture of the new Executive Committee of the ICAN Lagos State Public Service Chapter in Ikeja.
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Speaking on “Opportunities and Challenges of Artificial Intelligence for Accountants in Public Service,” Oluyomi said AI was already transforming financial systems and public service delivery and should be responsibly integrated into public financial management.
He said AI could improve financial reconciliation, anomaly detection, revenue forecasting and automation, while allowing accountants to focus more on analysis, professional judgement and stewardship.
However, the commissioner stressed that AI adoption must be supported by quality data, security, accountability and responsible procurement.
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He said accountability for public financial decisions must remain with professionals, even where AI is used to generate recommendations.
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“Move from deliberating on artificial intelligence to defining the rules for it,” Oluyomi urged ICAN, calling on the institute to develop professional standards, training curricula and ethical guidelines for AI use in public financial management.
The commissioner cited Lagos’ ₦4.44 trillion 2026 budget and ₦1.67 trillion in recurrent revenue generated in the first half of 2026, including ₦1.166 trillion internally generated revenue, as evidence of the scale of public finances requiring effective technological tools.
Oluyomi also encouraged continuous professional development, saying accountants of the future would not necessarily be replaced by AI but would need to understand, interrogate and govern its application.
He reaffirmed the Lagos State Government’s commitment to sound fiscal management, institutional excellence and responsible technology adoption in public service.
