The newly appointed Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Shamsudeen Babatunde Ogunjimi, on Monday assumed office with a pledge to sustain the ongoing reforms to enhance the credibility and transparency of Nigeria’s treasury.
Ogunjimi’s appointment was announced last week following the retirement of his predecessor, Oluwatoyin Madein on March 7, 2025.
Ogunjimi who arrived the premises of the Treasury House at about 9 a.m. took a tour of the offices before addressing the entire staff of the Office.
In his brief speech, he said the ongoing reforms would continue as a collective responsibility of all accounting officers in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies whose roles connect the Treasury.
Apart from his commitment to fostering accountability and efficiency in financial management, Ogunjimi said all must work to change the poor perception about the country’s treasury.
Acknowledging the enormous task ahead, he promised to do his best to make the treasury the head of all institutions in Nigeria.
“I am not part of any group. I am not going to polarize the office.I want everyone to have the spirit of togetherness.If I fail, everyone here has failed. I am ready to commit myself to the service of the public.
“During my interview, I was asked what I would do differently to change the image of the Treasury House. I answered and was appointed. Now, I want to turn the question back to you: What will you do differently to correct the image of the OAGF? The question is for all staff members. Each one of us must work to change the perception of the country’s treasury. We must reflect on our roles in shaping the image of the Treasury,” he said.
Soliciting the support of all the staff, the AGF pledged to be professional in the discharge of his duties and would not victimize anyone.
Rather he said as a good listener, he would listen to every concern and address them accordingly. If there was anything disturbing workers in the discharge of their functions, I will not hesitate to attend to them.
“I have been a victim of a chief executive officer who was firing directors they didn’t like. I didn’t like it when they asked him to remove somebody and he would do it without giving the person the opportunity. I am not going to be that kind of leader. I will give everyone a fair hearing and to avoid the pitfalls of favoritism.
“If anybody comes to me with concerns, I’ll call the director involved. We’ll decide together whether it’s worth it. I may not have been who I am today if not for the opportunity provided to me by this service.
“We can’t be fighting ourselves. We must achieve this objective together. In the spirit of togetherness and oneness, treasury is one. I want that spirit of togetherness and oneness to be in everybody.
Whether you are a treasury officer or support staff, we are all in this together. I am ready to commit myself, my life, to the service of this institution. I’m here. Talk to me. I’m your AGF. Be free to come to me. I will listen to you. I’m a good listener,” he said.
Ogunjimi holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Master’s in Accounting and Finance from the University of Lagos. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria. He has over 30 years of experience in financial management in the public and private sectors.
