Toye Fisher
The Faculty of Management Sciences, Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Ekiti State, Nigeria has commenced its much-anticipated 2025 International Conference themed “Artificial Intelligence: Disruptions in Management and Emerging Issues in Africa.”
It’s a three-day academic gathering, which began from October 28 to 30, 2025.
It would bring together distinguished scholars, policymakers, industry experts and researchers from across Africa and beyond.
Declaring the conference open, the Vice-Chancellor of FUOYE, Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina, ably represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Professor Tajudeen Opoola, expressed delight at the landmark event.
In his opening remarks, Professor Fasina commended the Faculty for its foresight in selecting a theme that aligned with the university’s mission to drive innovation through research and technology, saying that Artificial Intelligence (AI) would continue to redefine global management and governance systems.
He urged participants to leverage the platform to propose solutions relevant to Africa’s unique development context.
Professor Fasina said: “This conference exemplifies FUOYE’s commitment to fostering interdisciplinary research, academic collaboration, and knowledge exchange that contribute to Africa’s sustainable development.
“We are determined to strengthen our capacity for technology-driven management and innovation that can deliver real social and economic impact.”
However, Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee, Dr. Babatunde Bayode Olusanya, welcomed participants and emphasized that the conference aims to stimulate dialogue, promote academic networking, and develop innovative management practices suited for Africa’s socio-economic realities.
Meanwhile, a major highlight of the event was the keynote presentation by Professor Owolabi Mukaila Bakre of the University of Riyaadh, Saudi Arabia, entitled
“Globalization and Western Accounting Regulatory Framework as Smokescreen for Trans-Organized Financial Crime: Nigeria as a Case Study.”
Professor Bakre’s presentation, however, provided a powerful call to action, shifting the discussion from problem-oriented analysis to solution-driven reform.
While acknowledging the challenges in global financial systems, his paper advanced the discourse by proposing actionable strategies for developing economies.
He emphasized the need for “unprecedented international cooperation” and urged developing nations to “embark on reforms relevant to the needs of their socio-political and economic environment.”
According to Professor Bakre, such reforms must focus on strengthening domestic institutions, creating effective regulatory frameworks and fostering greater transparency to combat systemic corruption and financial crimes.
Expanding on his study’s contribution to literature, Professor Bakre argued that reliance on globalization and Western accounting regulatory frameworks had historically placed developing economies at a structural disadvantage while observing that such frameworks — dominated by powerful global economies — had facilitated capital flight and financial manipulation that deprived poorer nations of much-needed resources for growth.
Besides, he linked the 2008 global financial crisis to the same lightly regulated global systems, cautioning developing countries against uncritical adoption of international standards such as IFRS and IPSAS without contextual adaptation.
He specifically drew attention to the intersection between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and financial accountability, noting that while AI has enormous potential for improving transparency, it can also be misused.
Citing global examples, he warned that even major accounting firms had at times, leveraged AI tools in ways that obscured rather than expose financial irregularities.
Professor Bakre therefore called for ethical deployment of AI in management and auditing processes to ensure that technology becomes a force for good, not a cover for misconduct.
While concluding his presentation, Professor Bakre maintained that if powerful states were truly committed to combating financial crimes, they must go beyond rhetoric and put in place enforceable national and international laws to criminalize money laundering and other related offences as only through transparency, accountability, and sincere multilateral cooperation would meaningful progress be achieved in global financial integrity.
Other distinguished speakers at the conference were Professor Sunday Adebisi of the University of Lagos and Professor Taiwo Asaolu, Vice- Chancellor of the University of Ilesa, Osun State.
Both of whom also presented thought-provoking insights on Artificial Intelligence and technological innovation.
Over the next three days, participants would engage in stimulating paper presentations, workshops, and discussions exploring the transformative power of AI in management education, economic policy, and governance.
The conference, however, underscored FUOYE’s growing reputation as a centre of excellence in research and innovation, committed to advancing knowledge capable of addressing real-world challenges thereby contributing meaningfully to Africa’s socio-economic progress.
Photo Credit: Toye Fisher
