Director, Office of Advancement, University of Lagos, Dr Taiwo Ipaye, has urged Nigerian Universities to fully digitise their administrative processes, cautioning that Institutions which fail to embrace digital transformation risk becoming inefficient and obsolete.

Ipaye gave the charge while delivering the second Registry Discourse at Trinity University, held on the varsity's campus in Yaba, Lagos, where she spoke on the theme "Digital Disruption and the Registry Workforce: Rethinking Roles, Repositioning Capacity and Building Future Readiness."

She maintained that paper based administration was rapidly giving way to technology driven systems, insisting that university registries must position themselves as drivers of institutional excellence rather than mere administrative support units.

"This is the age of digital disruption and machine learning with the use of Artificial Intelligence in virtually every area of our operations. The registry workforce cannot afford to be left behind," she stated, adding that future ready registry systems require fully digitised workflows, integrated data systems, and the use of AI in decision making.

Ipaye observed that routine duties such as filing, stamping documents, and manual data entry were increasingly being automated, generating demand for new competencies in data management and digital systems administration.

"The workforce is shifting from task execution to system management and data oversight. Employees are no longer just processors of information but custodians of digital systems and data integrity," she remarked.

Citing the COVID 19 pandemic, Ipaye noted that universities and their registries demonstrated the ability to adapt rapidly to digital technologies, with virtual learning platforms becoming permanent fixtures of higher education administration.

She called on the National Assembly and the National Universities Commission to digitise their document requests from tertiary institutions rather than demanding numerous photocopies for committee appearances, and urged institutions to digitise processes from admission to graduation.

Ipaye identified the digital skills gap as one of the biggest threats to university administration and recommended cloud based systems, regular skills audits, and stronger data protection policies.

Chairman of the event and Vice Chancellor of Chrisland University, Prof Oyedunni Arulogun, stressed that embracing digital innovation was imperative, urging registries to remain open minded and resilient.

Vice Chancellor of Trinity University, Prof Clement Kolawole, noted that it had become essential for every worker to be conversant with technology to retain their jobs. At the same time, Registrar David Oyejide stressed that the Registry must anticipate and adapt to change to remain relevant.