Female Accountants in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the auspices of the Society of Women Accountants of Nigeria (SWAN) Abuja Chapter has called on Account professionals to utilise the benefits of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for them to remain relevant, as Nigeria is fast developing.
Chairperson of SWAN, Abuja Chapter, Monica Nosike FCA, made this call in Abuja, at SWAN Annual Seminar for professionals, with the theme: Staying Relevant in the Digital World: Opportunities for the Finance Professional.
Nosike explained that the seminal focused on harnessing Artificial Intelligence for the Accountancy profession; Diversification Strategies for enhancing Entrepreneurship in a Digitalized Economy; and Work-life balance challenges and Societal Expectations.
“We looked at artificial intelligence landscape. How accountants will maximise the benefit of artificial intelligence in carrying out their day to day activities. Not too long from now, the accountant may go into extinction, not the profession, if they do not update themselves as at when due.
“We are looking beyond book keeping, we are going into IT. We are looking at how to do things financially globally, and get a clearer picture of how to do things smartly.
“You know we take care of the finance, the publications and the financials of the public, so we have to be very careful, if we are not technologically equipped, so many of us, not too long from now will be irrelevant. That is why we said this topic is looking at the relevancy of the profession and the accountant, in the way he or she does her day to day activities,” she said.
The chairperson stressed that despite the use of artificial intelligence (AI), the accountants will continue to be relevant as long as they make themselves relevant, by updating their skills, their services will always be needed.
“The issue of artificial intelligence has been there. The AI only helps you to do your work better, not that it will replace you physically, you are still going to remain relevant, but you need constant updating.
“We have a lot of reforms in the public sector, which gear to towards making more money for the government and private sectors, and blocking leakages,” she said.
Nosike commended the the present Accountant General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, who she said has done very well in utilising professional accountants in actualising her desire goals for Nigerians, saying that there is a reform she is bringing on board that will change the economy fortune of Nigeria.
