The Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Dr. Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi, has pledged to submit the 2023 federal government audited report to the Auditor General for the Federation within the next two weeks. He also confirmed that work on the 2024 and 2025 audit reports is already underway.
World Bank Delegation Visit
Dr. Ogunjimi made this commitment during a courtesy visit by a World Bank delegation led by Mrs. Treed Lane, the team manager, on Friday. He appealed to the World Bank to expedite the approval and disbursement of project funds to Nigeria, emphasizing that these facilities are loans, not grants, which the country must repay.
Call for Faster Approvals
The AGF stressed that Nigeria, as a responsible borrower, deserves timely processing of its funding requests. He urged the World Bank to fast-track approval processes and ensure prompt release of funds to support the nation's development priorities. He warned that prolonged delays could undermine the government's interest in accessing such facilities. "If approvals take more than six months, the Nigerian Government may no longer honour such arrangements," he stated.
Progress on Public Financial Management
Dr. Ogunjimi informed the delegation that the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) has begun addressing critical issues previously raised by the World Bank, particularly concerning public financial management statements and audit reporting. He also assured the delegation that concerns about the digitalization of the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) are being resolved, with obsolete infrastructure being replaced by modern technology to enhance efficiency and service delivery.
World Bank's Encouragement
In her remarks, Mrs. Treed Lane congratulated Dr. Ogunjimi on his recent appointment as the African Chairman of the Association of Accountants-General. She encouraged the OAGF to sustain its digitalization efforts and ensure the timely presentation of professional financial statements to the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation, which would strengthen seamless public financial management processes.
