The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has outlined what he describes as a technology-driven strategy to combat corruption in Nigeria, arguing that the adoption of Blockchain Technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) could fundamentally transform public finance management and government accountability.

Responding to a campaign question on how his administration would tackle corruption, Sowore said Nigeria's anti-graft efforts have remained largely ineffective because they depend heavily on bureaucratic systems that are vulnerable to manipulation, delays, and human interference. According to him, digital technologies now provide an opportunity to build a government where transparency is embedded into every financial transaction.

Sowore explained that blockchain technology could serve as a permanent digital ledger for government finances, ensuring that every budget allocation, contract award, revenue inflow, and public expenditure is securely recorded with a time stamp and made available for public verification. He argued that because blockchain records cannot be secretly altered or deleted, it would become significantly more difficult for public officials to divert funds or manipulate financial records without leaving evidence.

Beyond blockchain, the AAC presidential hopeful believes Artificial Intelligence should become a core part of Nigeria's financial management system. According to him, AI can continuously monitor government transactions, identify unusual spending patterns, detect procurement irregularities, flag suspicious payments, uncover conflicts of interest, and alert oversight agencies before financial losses occur.

Sowore further argued that many of Nigeria's expensive administrative structures have become vehicles for waste and corruption. He said a technology-driven government would reduce dependence on excessive paperwork, manual accounting systems, duplicated agencies, and costly administrative processes that slow service delivery while creating opportunities for financial misconduct.

In his words, governance should no longer revolve around maintaining large bureaucracies but around delivering measurable improvements in the lives of Nigerians through innovation, automation, and transparent public administration.

According to Sowore, if elected in 2027, his administration would deploy blockchain and artificial intelligence to make corruption technologically difficult, easier to detect, and quicker to punish, while creating a leaner and more efficient government focused on accountability and service delivery.

The proposal reflects a growing global conversation around the use of emerging technologies in governance. Around the world, governments are increasingly exploring blockchain for transparent record-keeping and AI-powered systems for auditing public finances, improving procurement oversight, and strengthening accountability.

Whether Nigeria is prepared for such a large-scale digital transformation remains a subject of debate. While experts acknowledge the potential of AI and blockchain to improve transparency, they also point to the need for strong digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, legal reforms, institutional capacity, and political commitment to ensure these technologies deliver meaningful results.

As the 2027 general election approaches, Sowore's proposal adds a distinctly technology-focused dimension to the national conversation on governance, public sector reform, and the fight against corruption.

Southern Report