Price Water House Coopers (PwC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support a technology enabled approach to the transformation of the nation’s socio-economic landscape.
The Regional Senior Partner, PwC, Mr. Uyi Akpata, at the signing of the MoU between PwC and UNDP in Lagos, said it was a step towards achieving the shared objectives of the two institutions.
Akpata said based on the MoU, PwC and the UNDP would cooperate on several strategic initiatives that would include facilitating the transfer of skills, knowledge and competencies that enable a culture of innovation, entrepreneurship and employment creation.
According to him, this would help in catalysing policy dialogues that connect and link the private and public sectors with the start up ecosystem.
PwC launched Experience Centre in 2019 to accelerate the ability to provide digital centric services to its clients, through a combination of business understanding, human insight and the power of emerging technology.
Akpata explained that the centre was established to foster innovation that creates products and services, which delight its customers and make a difference in the society. He said: “Further, this strategic collaboration with the UNDP is in line with our refreshed global strategy, The New Equation.
“We, in PwC Africa, have six focus areas based on this refreshed strategy. I’m excited to note these focus areas speak directly to achieving the SDGs.
“Most importantly, one of the focus areas is partnering to achieve international development goals. The UNDP is arguably the best partner in this regard. So, signing this MOU is a giant step that all adds up to The New Equation.
Partner, PwC, Mr. Femi Osunubi, said the centre hosts a cross-functional team of experts who work collaboratively, bringing together the best of business, technology and experience-driven consulting.
The Senior Advisor Programme Manager, UNDP, Dr. William Tsuma, said the collaboration was to ensure innovative solutions to some of the complex development issues facing the country, using new technology and data.
According to him, it would assist in finding a way to spot entrepreneurs and young Nigerians in becoming part of the larger developmental agenda in the country.
“Working with the experience from PwC is a commitment from both, as part of transforming the social economic landscape of the country. So, signing the agreement today is a testament at the commitment between the two organisations,” he said.
Tsuma also said the centre would help find the right solutions to challenges that were increasingly becoming complex in the country.
“We all need digital solutions; we need technology. We need to find a new way of getting data. We need new ways of dealing with problems that are becoming complex, whether it is agriculture, climatic changes, instability and corporate governance, among others,” he added.
“At UNDP, we are the development agency of the UN system. PwC Experience on the other hand has experience in providing professional services to clients. The experience centre is an hub, a frontier of new opportunities,” he said.
Source: guardian
