“Routine tasks such as data entry, invoicing, reconciliation and reporting are increasingly handled by automated intelligent systems. The future belongs to accountants who can interpret data, provide insights, guide strategy, and support decision-making.“ …….. Femi Adeoya
As Nigeria prepares for the implementation of its 2026 tax reforms, accounting automation expert Femi Adeoya has issued a clear warning to the profession: technology is no longer optional.
Speaking at a digital readiness stakeholders’ forum in Lagos, Adeoya stated that artificial intelligence and automation will not eliminate the accounting profession but will quickly sideline professionals who fail to adapt.
Adeoya, Lead Consultant at Angle 360 Accounting Services and Principal Partner at Skytrend Consulting Ltd, is widely recognised for leading digital accounting transformations across Nigeria. He has helped over 200 organisations migrate from manual bookkeeping to fully automated accounting systems.
According to Adeoya, automation has fundamentally changed how accounting work is delivered.
“Processes that once took days are now completed in seconds,” he said. “This does not signal the end of accountants, but the end of outdated practices. Businesses now demand speed, accuracy, compliance, and insight and automation delivers all four.”
With Nigeria entering a new tax era, Adeoya warned that organisations still relying on manual systems risk falling behind. He noted that upcoming reforms will require real-time financial reporting, automated reconciliations, digital audit trails, and advanced analytics which are capabilities manual systems cannot support.
He also stressed that the role of accountants is evolving beyond bookkeeping. Routine tasks such as data entry, invoicing, bank reconciliation, and basic compliance are increasingly handled by intelligent systems. The future, he said, belongs to accountants who can interpret data, provide insights, guide strategy, and support decision-making.
While automation continues to advance, Adeoya maintained that critical thinking, ethical judgment, and strategic advisory remain uniquely human strengths that technology cannot replace.
Under his leadership, Skytrend Consulting Ltd has become a key driver of Nigeria’s accounting automation movement, supporting businesses through software implementation, tax digitisation, cloud accounting adoption, and professional training programmes.
Adeoya concluded with a strong message to the profession:
“Automation is not the threat. Resistance to change is. In the years ahead, the most valuable accountants will be those who are digitally skilled and automation-driven.”
As businesses prepare for regulatory change and increasing competition, Adeoya’s message is unmistakable: The future of accounting belongs to those willing to evolve.