A Governance and policy expert, Joseph Tegbe (FCA) has charged Graduands of Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo to go forth and disrupt norms, create value, and make impact. He gave this charge while speaking at the 2021 Convocation Lecture of Babcock University Ilishan-Remo titled, “Disruptive Technology in the Post-Pandemic world: Prospects for the Economy and Future Work”
Tegbe, who leads the Advisory Services for KPMG in West Africa, noted that digital technologies are disrupting entire industries, and reshaping the business landscape globally. This is because these technologies significantly alter the way that consumers, businesses and industries operate. They cause a change in the cost or access to products or services, dramatically changing how we interact, gather information and create products.
According to Tegbe, “We cannot have a conversation about disruptive technologies without talking about an essential ingredient, an ingredient that serves both as an input to the functioning of these technologies, as well as a byproduct of processing.
This key ingredient is data, and we are coming very quickly to terms with the value that data drives in our world today. Indeed, data is becoming such an asset that governments, businesses, and even professionals see it as the oil of the 21st century.
Tegbe further observed that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics, Blockchain Technology, Internet of Things (IoT) have disrupted, and will continue to redefine industries like Transportation (ride hailing and sharing), Communications (Telework), E-commerce, Entertainment and even social interaction.
Tegbe concluded by stating that the global Covid-19 pandemic had created significant opportunity in the Nigerian market, as the environment presents a fertile ground for innovation using disruptive technology in notable sectors such as Fintech, Retail and Logistics, Agric Tech, Edu Tech, E-Commerce etc. However, taking advantage of these opportunities requires intentional effort as future-ready professionals should seek to Embrace change, Upgrade their skills and
Refocus.