OAGF intensifies IPPIS payroll reforms

OAGF intensifies IPPIS payroll reforms

Barbara Bako, Abuja.

The Federal Government has stepped up efforts to strengthen payroll accountability and improve efficiency in the public sector as stakeholders review the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) amid ongoing reform pressures.

The review is taking place at a three-day retreat in Abuja involving key officials from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) and other stakeholders in the nation’s public financial management system.

Rather than a routine administrative meeting, the engagement is focused on addressing implementation gaps in IPPIS, improving data integrity, and strengthening coordination across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

The Accountant-General of the Federation, Dr. Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi, said the retreat is part of efforts to ensure the payroll platform delivers on its core mandate of centralising personnel records and enhancing transparency in salary administration.

He acknowledged progress recorded under the system but noted that operational gaps and user-related challenges continue to limit full efficiency.

The retreat is also expected to review IPPIS performance using a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis, with emphasis on practical reforms that can be implemented across the system.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, described the initiative as part of broader fiscal reforms aimed at improving public financial management and reducing revenue leakages.

He said IPPIS has contributed significantly to curbing ghost workers, improving personnel records, and strengthening fiscal discipline, but stressed the need for continuous upgrades to sustain its effectiveness.

Also speaking, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, said the reform drive is central to ongoing transformation under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

She noted that accurate personnel data remains critical to building an efficient civil service, adding that payroll systems must align with broader goals of productivity, transparency, and digital governance.

Walson-Jack urged stakeholders to focus on practical outcomes, stronger collaboration, and improved data management processes that can be implemented across government institutions.

The retreat is expected to produce recommendations aimed at strengthening IPPIS operations and improving accountability in Nigeria’s public payroll system.