“This will be critical to connect, unify and automate all our government processes for efficient business transactions, increased revenue collections, and eradication of corruption in all levels of our bureaucracy.
I am sure that our digital reforms will not only bridge our digital divide but will also boost our competitive edge as a country of great potential in the digital world,” he said.
To move Nigeria to its rightful place amongst comity of nations, the Chief Executive Officer, PVG Consult, Dr. Ibrahim Bello Dauda has stressed the need for harnessing digital leadership for sustainable economic development that promotes efficiency and expediency in Nigeria via digital leadership.
“In PVG Consult we work with entrepreneurs, businesses, and organisations to pursue opportunities that drive exceptional impact that improve the economy and in turn drive national development,’’ said Dr. Ibrahim Bello Dauda, who is also the President of the Platinum Vault Group while speaking exclusively with PLEASURES Magazine about his desire for professionalism.
Dr. Dauda explained that PVG Consult is a leading Nigerian management consulting firm with extensive expertise, diverse experience, and a wide network of industry leaders that make the firm a prime partner for organisations seeking to achieve their goals in a timely, sustainable and cost-effective manner.
He said the firm has also worked with organisations within and outside Nigeria and prioritizes results while building an organisation with the best culture fit for growth – putting its partners and staff on the optimal pedestal to realize their business goals.
The accomplished accountant and administrator said the vision of PVG Consult is building “a healthy business environment driven by seamless business processes.” He added that the mission of the firm is to inspire a culture of professionalism that promotes efficiency and expediency in the conduct of business.
“We do this by delivering value-added services in the best professional manner, and supporting our clients through Market and situation analysis, project concept development, adaptation and management, expert decision-making and risk mitigation, capacity building to equip personnel with requisite skills and enterprise solutions that improve business efficiency.
Speaking further, he said the firm business consultancy covers the area of management consulting, project management, risk governance, and sustainability governance.
Dr. Dauda also said the firm has delved into security, consultancy, cybersecurity, and other aspects or segments of security consulting.
“We do financial advisory. We do business planning, entrepreneurial development, and startup management,” he said.
Highlighting other areas the firm specializes he said, “We are trained to identify risk early, analyze it and assist our clients to commit the necessary resources to navigate such risks in risk management.
“PVG Consult delivers hardware and software systems and networks that are fit for purpose and protected by effective up-to-date security systems.
“On sustainability management and development solutions. We help businesses ensure that while pursuing profit, they can deliver a positive impact on the planet and its people.
“Business Development Solutions which is one of our core areas, we support businesses to recognize growth opportunities and provide strategies to pursue them successfully.
“We provide the best project management strategies that help our clients deliver projects with measurable impact.
“We assist with new ideas on improving the capacity of organizations to deliver on their promise in human resource and quality management.
“The depth and diversity of our experience and knowledge empower us to support different ventures that are seeking sustainable growth.”
He further noted that what shaped his personality to date was his background, he said he sadly lost his father in the early years of his life even though he was born into royalty.
On how he spent his early childhood and how it transformed his life, he said, “Shortly after I lost my father, I went to a building site and the foreman and the labourers were talking about how they daily suffered to achieve their task. So I went back and asked my mother what is suffering?” She said, “You will not understand.”
“This is perhaps because I was born into royalty, and a son of a distinguished police officer and later businessman, you wouldn’t understand. So that stuck into my head. I decided to go independent at the age of seven. My mother was of course not aware of it. I go to pick Coca Cola bottles and take them to the abattoir to sell before my school time. That was how I started actually.
“Since then, it has motivated me to go independent in life. Because I realized my father, who had been there for me, is no more. So, after a week, I realized a lot of people that used to come to the house gradually receded and some of them stopped coming. Some of them increase the days before they come. So, it dawned on me that I have to live on my own and chart my path in life to succeed and I don’t have to depend on anybody anymore because there is virtually none to depend on.
“I did menial jobs all through my primary school days. I was schooling and working. I did the same all through my secondary school. I did almost the same thing during my tertiary institution.
“I learnt all manner of trades which include mechanic, carpentry, working in a slaughterhouse, welder, I also worked as a trailer motor boy. I did all these not because I have nothing to fall back on or because I am poor. But I did all these things because I want to have first-hand experience of what most people go through.
“So it was a passion for me to learn. And the only way to learn is actually to be part of the process and to be part of what you want to learn. So I succeeded, largely because it helped me to understand what people do at different levels of the society from the lowest cadre to the most successful.
“I’ve gone through all the processes, every average person will go through and come to understand the pain at each level. So each step-shaped and sharpened my focus and my goal, which is not to succeed in terms of making money or position but to succeed in touching people’s lives.
“It also helps me in coming up with solutions to problems and changing certain situations. So, it helped me to look at life differently. It is not about money, I’m not into business to make money. Largely, I’m in business to provide solutions to solve problems and to look down and become a mentor, and a pillar for those younger ones who have no privilege to walk the way I did. So, most of this contributed to me being where I am today.”
Dr. Dauda 2023 Presidential ambition
Dr. Dauda said he was contesting based on pressure from tons of people, who were impressed by his credentials, antecedents, achievements, energy, passion for real change, welfare causes, and patriotism to my country, who asked him to present himself for the office.
Dr. Dauda said he joined the 2023 presidential race under the umbrella of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He detailed his promises and goals, cutting across the revamping of the economy, digital leadership, insecurity, his character, education, and the place of women in his government if elected.
“My reason for opting to contest for the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is born out of my passion for real change and when I say change, I mean change because where we are coming from, we have been operating on a particular type of change. But globally today what is involved is a disruptive approach.
“That is where you have fields of study like disruptive management, change management, and other new fields because of the dynamics globally, which affected the traditional way of management. So, having been in politics for 27 years.
I started from the ward level, local government level, and state level to the national. I have played politics from the lowest level which is the ward level and I rose to the national level in my lifetime. I have been part of five presidential elections at strategic and operational levels. That is a rare privilege. I also pioneered the digital election coalition processes in Nigeria. There are many things I have done politically that have not been brought to bear publicly. So, alongside, my practice. I have been involved in relating with government agencies and establishments and most of the time I offer pro bono services to the government as part of my contribution to my country and so I offer free consultancy to the system.
“So, amid my private life practice in politics, I have come to understand the basic problem with this country. So, I feel I have what it takes to govern the country from where I’m coming from notwithstanding my age.
That I’m not a former minister, Governor. I choose Private Practice and private life, but I have been deeply involved in governance over the past 15 years. So I know quite a lot. So with all this, I believe I have a lot to offer. And that is why I chose to run for President.”
He said: ‘’Their calls may have been motivated by the fact that in my modest way, I have always intervened with my resources and mentorship to contribute my quota towards youth empowerment and development in my corner of the world.
“I am genuinely honoured by these calls to serve my country. In deference to these persistent calls, today, I humbly step forward and hereby accept the invitation extended to me by well-meaning Nigerians to contest the position of President of our beloved country under the All Progressives Congress (APC).”
Speaking on his kind of leadership which he tagged digital leadership, he said, “Nigeria will continue to depreciate and degenerate on the global progress chart if she keeps on procrastinating on automation and digitalisation of processes within the bureaucracy and services sector.
“The entire world has advanced into the digital epoch, we will, therefore, be proactive in positioning Nigeria on the path of becoming a digital leader among the committee of Nations.
On insecurity, Dauda, a Kanuri from Borno State but born in Jos where he spent his childhood, said: “Jos and Borno State are today hotbeds of insecurity. Anyone will testify that the Jos we know today is not the Jos of the 1980s. How did the City of Tin become a dangerous place to reside?
“Why should Borno State be the theatre of terrorism? Why should citizens of Zamfara not sleep with both eyes closed out of fear for their lives? “Why should Nigerians live in constant terror on the roads, farms, and homes? Why does the South-East vibrate with gunshots in broad daylight from unknown gunmen and bandits? Why should ritual killers and kidnappers become common features on our highways and forests?
“Without security, progress will become elusive. Under my watch, insecurity will be robustly confronted. We shall begin by addressing the welfare of our security personnel who fight on the frontline against crime. No longer shall any of these courageous heroes be sacrificed unnecessarily in their line of duty.
“The country will be collaborating with international bodies like NATO, AU, and ECOWAS to invoke and enforce the necessary international protocols that will prevent not just small and light arms but mercenaries and illegal migrants from violating our international borders.
“We shall pursue legislation, to establish a trust fund, aimed at providing insurance and other added values for journalists and media practitioners.
“This will give them the added capacity to participate more on the coverage of local, continental, and global events and activities, which they currently have challenges in covering due to funding and insurance cover challenges.”
On the economy, the presidential aspirant said ‘the worldwide digital economy is estimated at over $12 trillion which makes up about 15 percent of the global GDP currently.
“Anyone can imagine what this country can do with even a slender percentage of such a vast asset. For starters, and to launch our people into the frontline of the global digital revolution, all local regulations preventing Nigerians, especially youth and women, from participating as key players and beneficiaries in the digital space, shall be addressed.
“Nigerians, youth, and women, in particular, will be encouraged by training, mentoring, treaties, and the enabling legal framework to key into the abundant opportunities in that space and acquire legitimate revenue just as their counterparts currently do in other countries. “We shall deploy innovative science and technology towards improving the nation’s developmental pace. A robust investment in Research and Development will be made every year. We shall pursue legislation that will mandate institutions and the private sector, to utilize and deploy locally researched solutions and products, as against the incessant importation of sometimes inferior competitions from abroad.”
On his educational policies, Dauda said: “We will work out a policy framework of Free Education covering between Primary to Senior Secondary School levels in all public schools, as well as encourage entrepreneurial skills acquisition modules side by side with the normal curricular activities in schools.”
The presidential aspirant promised to provide leadership devoid of negative emotions, sentiment, and selfish interests.
“We shall uphold and strictly enforce the rule of law. Nothing shall be spared in order to give our compatriots the quality of life they deserve.
“Nigeria will not continue to work for the few privileged ones on the Pareto scale. Under our watch, the greatest welfare will be guaranteed for the greatest majority of our men, women, youth, and children,” he promised.
He said the 2023 election will be in his favour in terms of youths and women participation, “because that was what I managed in 2019.”
“I was the secretary of the APC Women and Youth Presidential Campaign Team, chaired by General Buba Marwa (rtd). I was the National Secretary and the Head of the entire structure was Her Excellency Wife of the President the First Lady Mrs Aisha Buhari. So, all I’ve done a lot in politics is strategy, field operation policy, youths and women management, groups management and I have retained their support till today. I may not be visibly present, but I am very well grounded politically in the grassroots,” he added.
Speaking on his foreign policy, he said his foreign policy will focus on maximizing first the benefit of the bilateral agreements Nigeria has with other nations. He said he will also engage the international community in dialogue and discussion on what the nation needs to benefit from each other in terms of trade, intellectual property, human resource, and capacity building.
He stressed that Nigeria will be interested in exporting human resources and intellectual capacity, adding that the country is going to look at the interests of those countries and harness the bilateral relationship.
“We’re going to look at the terms of the agreements, and strategies in areas of participation either in funding or technical support. Nigeria has not been upcoming in some cases, and that has frustrated the process. So we’re going to work on those indices that the international community looks at in terms of relating with other countries, in areas of security, human rights, women’s participation and recognition of the girl’ child’s rights, corruption, freedom of the press, ease of doing business to investors, which has been pioneered by the present administration.
“We are going to expand and liberalize it further, and open up our system without compromising it in such a manner that more investments will come to Nigeria. We’re going to work with most of these countries that have bilateral relationships with Nigeria, we are going to invest in their system. Nothing stops the Nigerian government from acquiring real estate in Dubai, for instance.
“This will expand the foreign interests of this country, nothing stops Nigeria from going to Thailand to farm rice. So we’re going to take Nigeria out to the international community, and in the end, it will be a win-win situation,” he said.
Dr. Dauda Desire For The Advancement And Empowerment Of The Almajiri Child
Dr. Dauda who is also the founder of Almajirai Empowerment Foundation (AEF) has stressed the need for the advancement and empowerment of the Almajiri Child and less privileged children in the society.
He decried that there are key elements that worsen the plight of the Almajirai child which include the neglect by the government, the local government, and the state government.
Dr. Dauda said AEF is about advocacy, providing support counseling, and other things to support the Almajiri child, the girl child, and generally children that needs support.
He also urged all Nigerians to be patriotic to their country.
“Because one of the basic components of our problems as a nation is lack of patriotism and love for our country and love for one another. So, I will urge our brothers and sisters first to be patriotic and second to love ourselves because we are one,” he added.
Dr. Ibrahim Bello Dauda in Brief
Dr. Ibrahim Bello Dauda is an accomplished accountant and administrator. He is a seasoned professional, a versatile strategist, a policy analyst, and a project and risk manager. He is a highly motivated and passionate professional and has conceived several ideas and made some of them worthwhile projects that have affected the lives of people.
Dr. Ibrahim Bello Dauda is the current Director-General Sahelian Centre for Leadership and Development and a national chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the national coordinator of the president of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari Media Support Organisations. He specializes in human relationships and governance stability. He was born in Borno State, a native of Ziriya language. He holds a doctorate in Business Management. Before joining the Buhari Support Organisation he was an accountant and an administrator. He specializes in public and corporate administration. He was awarded a leadership award from African Advancement Forum in global Summit. Although born into royalty, he lost his father when he was seven years old. He has been Chief Executive Officer of companies and Chairman of Boards.
Visit www.ibdauda.com /www.saheliancentre.org