By Emmanuel Okogba

Amid growing efforts by African governments to curb payroll fraud and eliminate ghost workers from the public service, a Nigerian public finance and compensation expert, Olayinka Afolabi, has identified Nigeria’s Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) as one of the continent’s most significant public sector reforms, saying it offers valuable lessons for countries pursuing digital governance.

Afolabi, who spoke virtually at a public finance and governance forum, said Nigeria’s experience with IPPIS demonstrates how technology can strengthen transparency, accountability and fiscal discipline when supported by sound institutional frameworks.

The United States-based Compensation Analyst with the Montgomery County Government, Maryland, noted that payroll fraud and the proliferation of ghost workers have long undermined public financial management across many African countries, leading to huge revenue leakages and inflated wage bills.

“Nigeria’s experience with IPPIS shows that digital payroll reforms can significantly improve accountability by ensuring that salaries are paid only to legitimate employees. It is a practical example of how technology can support better governance when properly implemented,” he said.

According to Afolabi, before the introduction of IPPIS, payroll administration in many public institutions relied largely on fragmented and manual processes that created opportunities for duplicate records, fictitious employees and weak personnel controls.

She explained that centralizing payroll administration through a digital platform has helped strengthen personnel verification, improve payroll accuracy and enhance government oversight of the public workforce.

“A centralized payroll system reduces opportunities for manipulation because employee records and salary payments are managed within a unified framework. That improves transparency and helps government make better financial decisions.”

Drawing from her experience with Oracle Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems in the United States and her background in banking and public finance, Afolabi said technology alone cannot eliminate payroll fraud without effective governance and institutional commitment.

“Digital platforms are only as effective as the institutions managing them. Strong internal controls, accurate employee data, continuous monitoring and political commitment remain essential to sustaining payroll reforms.”

While acknowledging the gains recorded under IPPIS, she said the reform also revealed important implementation challenges, including resistance from some government agencies, concerns over operational flexibility and debates surrounding institutional autonomy.

According to her, those experiences provide valuable lessons for other African countries planning similar reforms.

“Every reform will encounter resistance, particularly where existing systems have created opportunities for abuse.

 Success therefore depends not only on technology but also on stakeholder engagement, effective change management and sustained political will.”

A Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA) and Georgetown Policy Management Professional, Afolabi urged African governments to complement digital payroll reforms with regular biometric verification, credible employee databases and integrated human resource management systems.

She added that linking payroll platforms with broader human resource systems would improve workforce planning, personnel accountability and public expenditure management.

“The objective should go beyond removing ghost workers. Governments should build integrated systems that support strategic workforce planning, enhance fiscal discipline and strengthen public confidence in how taxpayers’ money is managed”.

Afolabi maintained that as more African countries embrace digital governance, Nigeria’s IPPIS experience provides a useful roadmap for designing payroll systems that promote transparency, reduce corruption and improve the efficiency of public sector administration.