The Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Dr. Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi, has challenged African accountants to discard the toga of traditional bookkeeping and assume their evolving roles as strategic architects of national development.
Speaking in his capacity as the Chairman of the Association of Accountant-Generals of Africa during the body’s conference held recently at the Accra International Conference Centre, Ghana, Ogunjimi argued that the era of passive record-keeping is over.
He posited that in a world driven by digital innovation and data analytics, accountants must now serve as the compass for economic forecasting and institutional integrity.
In his keynote address, the AGF emphasized that the financial management of a nation goes beyond balancing ledgers, it is fundamentally about balancing the immediate needs of the populace with the long-term aspirations of the state.
He insisted that every unit of currency, whether Cedi, Franc, Naira, or Dollar managed by public officers must translate directly into tangible prosperity for the citizens.
Ogunjimi urged the delegates to leverage data to navigate the current global economic volatility, noting that modern accountants are now central to risk management and the uncovering of growth opportunities within complex regulatory frameworks.
Corroborating the AGF’s stance on professional evolution, renowned economist and entrepreneur, Mr. Tony Elumelu, who was a special guest at the event, identified the “trust deficit” as the primary obstacle to Africa’s economic realization.
Elumelu commended Dr. Ogunjimi for the invitation, describing it as a vital bridge between the public and private sectors.
He stressed that capital flows to where it is trusted, declaring that trust is built through the predictability, transparency, and partnership that professional accountants must uphold.
According to Elumelu, excellence in public finance is no longer a luxury but a necessity for the continent’s survival.
He called on the gathered professionals to become vanguards of transformation by championing digitalization and strengthening the credibility of public financial systems to attract the necessary partnerships for sustainable growth.