From Paper to AI: Ondo State Brings Pension Records Into the Digital Age With Ondo Pay

The Ondo State Government has officially launched Ondo Pay, an AI-enabled platform that migrates civil service pension records into a single secure and centralised environment alongside salary computation, approvals, reporting and payroll processing.

Unveiled at a launch event in Akure on 2 September 2026, the move is designed to strengthen payroll and pension integrity and close longstanding gaps that have allowed duplicate or non-genuine records and unauthorised payments to persist.

Through controlled access, authentication, auditable workflows and the integration of Bank Verification Number information, the platform will help Government verify pension and payroll records with greater accuracy, reduce manual calculations and paperwork, and support better control of personnel expenditure. It will also provide timely reports for budgeting, workforce planning and decision-making.

The pension migration sits within a wider Human Resource Management environment that also centralises employee records, approvals and reporting, and within Ondo Pay’s SmartApps AI mobile self-service application, which allows authorised employees to access payslips, view salary and deduction details, update permitted personal information and submit requests without repeated visits to payroll or administrative offices.

The Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Omowumi Isaac, has been central to advancing the accountability and efficiency objectives behind the pension migration and the wider platform. By promoting stronger payroll controls, reliable management information and a clear audit trail for payroll activities, approvals and changes, the Ministry of Finance is helping the State protect public funds, reduce leakages and convert improved expenditure control into measurable fiscal and revenue gains that are redirected to priority services and workforce development.

The initiative reflects the reform agenda of His Excellency, Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, whose administration continues to deploy technology to strengthen government institutions and improve public service delivery.

Speaking at the launch, the Head of Service of Ondo State, Chief Segun Odusanya, said:

“Good governance requires good information, and good information begins with reliable records.”

Chief Odusanya said the migration to a single digital system would create a stronger foundation for managing personnel and pension records, support better workforce planning, enable timely decision-making and reduce delays associated with traditional procedures. He urged Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Departments, Personnel Officers, and all other stakeholders to provide the leadership required for effective implementation, calling for the highest standards of accuracy, confidentiality, security and professionalism in the handling of personnel and pension information.

For Ondo State civil servants, the migration means more accurate payment of salaries, deductions and pension entitlements, and quicker resolution of related complaints and requests. For Government, it offers a single reliable source of payroll and pension data and improved wage-bill control — helping the State pay the right employee, the right amount, at the right time.

The Ondo Pay AI HR & Payroll Platform is powered by SmartApps Payroll Software and the SmartApps AI mobile self-service application. The integrated solution automates end-to-end payroll administration and supports secure employee self-service, reporting, authentication, and audit controls.