Members who gathered at the second biennial national conference of the National Institute of Office Administrators and Information Managers (NIOAIM) have been urged to leverage evolving technology to be competitive in today’s modern office operations.

The conference stressed that only agile and adaptable administrators would be able to propel business success and stand the test of time.

Vice Chancellor, Lead City University, Prof. Kabiru Adeyemo, said that there is a need to explore the transformative potential of digital technologies to enhance business activities and operations in today’s modern offices.

According to him, in the digital era, “the way we work, collaborate and manage information are advancing daily due to the invention of new technological tools that could easily drive the digital world.”

In his keynote address, Director, Quality Assurance, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Prof. Yomi Akindele-Oscar, who spoke on the topic ‘Office Administration and Information Management in Nigeria in the Digital Era: Choice or Necessity?’, reported that the world would transit into the digital era from 2024 to 2040 with the integration of digital technologies into every facet of life and in workspaces.

He urged members on cognitive skills they must acquire to demonstrate excellent decision-making in their organisations, adding that office administrators should continually keep abreast of development in the area of the application of artificial intelligence for automating office functions.

Earlier, President of NIOAIM, Dr Tolulope Adenekan, who reaffirmed the influence of digital tools and data in running a modern office, warned that organisations that do not upgrade their operations to be in sync with current realities would be left behind.

Addressing the conference theme, ‘Office Administration and Information Management in the Digital Era’, Adenekan explained that the theme was necessary to explore the intersection of office administration and information management.

She said there is a need for office and information management to undergo a profound digital transformation as digital and collaboration tools are consistently boosting employees’ effectiveness and efficiency, improving information security and fostering greater agility in today’s rapidly evolving business world.

“Through this conference, we aim to increase our intelligence to drive organisational efficiency, enhance information flow and foster a collaborative work environment. Certainly, members will be equipped with expertise and networking opportunities to make a lasting impact in the world of office administration and information management,” she said.

At the conference, 31 members were inducted and honourary awards were presented to Rector, Adamawa State Polytechnic, Prof Dahiru Toungos and Registrar, Lead City University, Ibadan, Dr Oyebola Ayeni, among others.