Alex Otti Unveils Digital Reform to Block Revenue Leakages in Abia.

Alex Otti Unveils Digital Reform to Block Revenue Leakages in Abia.

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has launched an ambitious digital reform initiative aimed at eliminating revenue leakages, harmonising government databases and strengthening public service delivery across the state.

The governor made this known at the opening of the Abia State Data and Identity for Governance Workshop held at the Okpara Auditorium in Umuahia. He described the initiative as a major step toward entrenching transparency, accountability and evidence-based governance.

Represented by his deputy, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, Otti said the reform, anchored on the theme “One Data, One Identity, One Government,” would integrate and harmonise data systems across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

According to him, the initiative will eliminate duplication, improve transparency and ensure that government decisions are measurable, accountable and impactful.

“The future of governance is digital, the future of planning is analytical, and the future of accountability is data-based. Abia State is ready to lead in this direction,” the governor stated.

Otti explained that the reform would provide government with accurate and reliable data to enhance performance tracking, improve resource allocation, increase internally generated revenue and strengthen social protection programmes.

He stressed that governance without reliable data often results in guesswork and fragmented service delivery, noting that digital innovation and analytics now define modern public administration.

In his remarks, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Emmanuel Mmeribole, said fragmented data systems had over time created conflicting planning baselines, slowed executive decision-making and contributed to revenue leakages. He disclosed that the reform would institutionalise a unified data governance framework, identity-led integration, privacy compliance mechanisms, executive dashboards and a revitalised Bureau of Statistics.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Kingsley Anosike, likened the existing system to “flying in a storm without radar,” emphasising the urgent need for a single source of truth in government operations. He said harmonised data would reduce operational costs, eliminate duplication, enhance government credibility and boost investor confidence.
Anosike further noted that many residents currently exist under multiple identities across various government platforms, a situation he said undermines efficient service delivery.

Delivering a technical presentation, the Chief Information Officer, Sir Gerald Ilukwe, underscored the importance of structured and secure data systems in governance and investment attraction. He advocated for a “single view of government” that would allow citizens to provide their information once, while enabling authorised agencies to securely access the data when required. He described digital identity as critical to inclusion, transparency and efficient

public service delivery.
Other sectoral leaders, including the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Cliff Agbaeze, and the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection, Mrs. Blessing Ngozi Felix, expressed support for the reform.

They noted that digital transformation and identity integration would improve investment opportunities, strengthen social protection targeting and enhance communication between government and citizens.

The workshop attracted stakeholders from key sectors such as agriculture, health, education, lands, revenue and social protection, with discussions centred on building a secure, interoperable and scalable data ecosystem to support the state’s long-term development strategy.

With the rollout of the reform agenda, the Otti administration is positioning Abia as a leading example of data-driven governance and digital public sector transformation in Nigeria.