Written by Victor Ahiuma-Young
David Daser, President and CEO of the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI), has called on the Federal Character Commission (FCC) to implement artificial intelligence (AI), digital technologies and data-driven systems to increase fairness, transparency and objectivity in public sector recruitment and compliance.
Daser made the call while presenting a paper titled: “Effectiveness of technology, data, and institutions in public governance” At FCC’s 2026 Executive and Management Leadership Retreat held in Ekiti State.
Thematic retreat “Repositioning the Federal Character Commission for Institutional Renewal, Leadership Cohesion, and National Relevance.” Focused on strategies to strengthen the Commission’s effectiveness and national relevance.
Speaking at the event, Dazer said the federal character principle is the cornerstone of Nigeria’s unity and stability, stressing that the commission should leverage digital innovation to improve the performance of its constitutional duties.
“The Federal Character Principle is one of the silent foundations of our national stability. It is a promise that no one will be left behind in our nation’s diversity. But that promise must be more than just words on a page. It must be something that can be seen, measured, defended, and realized by the commission, hire by hire, agency by agency, and year by year,” he said.
He said technology alone cannot guarantee fairness, but when combined with sound human judgment, it can significantly improve transparency, accountability, and public trust.
“Technology and data alone will not deliver fairness. People and sound judgment will always be at the heart of this work. But when used wisely and responsibly, these tools can help commissions see more clearly, act with more confidence, and demonstrate fairness more transparently than ever before,” he added.
Dazer said strengthening the commission through technology would also strengthen Nigeria’s governance framework.
“If we get this right, it will not only strengthen the organization, but the Nigerian project itself,” he said.
To support the Commission’s digital transformation, Mr. Dazer proposed a strategic partnership between the FCC and the Digital Bridge Institute to develop digital platforms, strengthen national data capabilities, build workforce capacity, and provide technical advisory services.
He also recommended the introduction of comprehensive data governance and privacy policies in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, the rollout of standardized digital templates for recruitment and compliance reporting across Ministries and Agencies (MDAs), the introduction of representative dashboards, adoption of a unified digital platform, compliance monitoring and record-keeping consolidation.
Highlighting DBI’s capabilities, Daser said the institute has campuses in six geopolitical zones and is well-positioned to support the commission through training in data analysis, cybersecurity and emerging technologies.
He said: “We stand ready to work with the European Commission through staff development, executive briefings and technical advisory services so that we do not have to implement this transformation alone.”
But he cautioned that technology should complement human judgment, not replace it.
“Technology must not remove humans from the decision-making process. The character of the Commonwealth is ultimately about fairness between people. Digital tools must enhance our judgment and improve efficiency, but they must not replace the careful, transparent, and responsible decisions that only humans can make,” he said.
