Kogi State Saves ₦700 Million Annually with Luwasuite Innovation, A Milestone by Tech Entrepreneur Emmanuel Olorunshola
By Korede Omololu-David
Tech entrepreneur Emmanuel Olorunshola, founder of the UK-registered but Nigerian-owned platform Luwasuite, has delivered one of Kogi State’s most significant governance reforms in recent history. By deploying his indigenous HR and compliance technology across ministries and agencies, the state has saved an estimated ₦700 million annually, eliminated ghost workers, and introduced international standards of accountability to public service.
Olorunshola, a proud son of Kogi, designed Luwasuite as an all-in-one platform to close the loopholes that drain African governments of scarce resources. The system integrates biometric attendance, payroll automation, leave management, and asset tracking into one secure tool. Workers clock in via fingerprint or facial recognition, ensuring that only verified staff are paid, while assets are digitally monitored across departments.
The results have been transformative. Figures from the Kogi State Bureau of Statistics confirm annual savings of around ₦700 million, largely from removing ghost workers, reducing fraudulent claims, and cutting administrative waste. Payroll discrepancies that once drained the state are now tracked and prevented, freeing funds for schools, hospitals, and infrastructure.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo hailed the reform as a landmark in his digital governance agenda. “Technology is key to transparent governance. With platforms like Luwasuite, we now account for every worker and every naira. This is a turning point for Kogi State,” he said.
Dr. Folashade Arike Ayoade, Head of Service, also praised the shift: “We now have real-time data for decision-making. Every employee is verified, every asset accounted for. This reform has completely changed how we manage our workforce.”
For Olorunshola, the project carries personal weight. “I built Luwasuite to solve African problems with African-led solutions. Ghost workers and payroll fraud are not statistics; they are lost schools, lost hospitals. To see my own state lead Nigeria with this reform is deeply meaningful. It shows that Nigerian innovation can meet global standards and deliver results at scale,” he said.
The platform’s success has already attracted attention from other states and federal agencies. Experts say nationwide adoption could save Nigeria billions annually, while international observers note it as proof that indigenous African technology can compete globally.
Beyond financial savings, the reform is building digital skills inside government. Civil servants are being retrained to manage HR digitally, while young IT professionals are embedded into ministries to support the system. This capacity building ensures sustainability and creates a pipeline of skilled workers for Nigeria’s digital economy.
What Kogi has achieved is more than cost savings. It is a milestone in African governance — a demonstration that homegrown innovation, led by committed entrepreneurs, can transform public institutions, restore accountability, and deliver real value to citizens.
