Oyo Attributes Increase In IGR To Use Of Technology

Oyo State government has attributed its record of N103 billion internally generated revenue (IGR) in 2025 to the deliberate use of science, data and technology, surpassing the total IGR of the previous two administrations.

Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, made this known while addressing journalists at a 2-day Artificial Intelligence training organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) held at the American Open University, Global Campus, Ibadan.

Oyelade explained that the governor Seyi Makinde-led administration had achieved historic revenue milestone without increasing taxes, but through strategic digitization reforms, citing the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development as an example of MDAs which has blocked financial leakages, reduced fraud and expanded the state’s economic base.

He noted that the success recorded in governance mirrors the opportunities available to journalists, urging them to adopt the same approach through responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Describing the training as epochal, the commissioner said the programme was timely, especially at a period when journalism was being tested by mis-governance, corruption and the growing spread of undemocratic tendencies across the globe.

He said, “While Artificial Intelligence comes with its challenges, its proper deployment can strengthen news gathering, improve investigative reporting and enhance public trust in the media.

“Studies have shown that Artificial Intelligence is already a quintessential part of journalism, not just for today, but for the future.”

Delivering a lecture titled, “Empowering Journalists with Artificial Intelligence for Ethical, Innovative and Future-Ready Journalism,” the vice chancellor, American Open University, Prof Seyi Akanbi, stressed that AI had become a strategic necessity in modern journalism.

He explained that Artificial Intelligence is redefining how news is gathered, verified and disseminated, while also raising ethical concerns such as deep fakes, algorithmic bias and automated misinformation, which journalists must be equipped to address.

Also, the chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, Comrade Akeem Abbas, described Artificial Intelligence as an urgent tool that journalists must master to remain relevant and effective in their constitutional watchdog role.