Taiye Adedeji FCCA has won ACCA’s public sector advocate of the year award. As a principal finance and accounts officer in the Lagos State Government’s Treasury Office in Nigeria, Adedeji was praised for her significant contribution to developing the profession, nurturing the next generation of ACCA members, and promoting ACCA’s brand and values.
As well as being the winner for Nigeria, Adedeji was selected as overall winner of the contests in all the countries that took part. The other winners were:
- Jayrani Devi Bungsy FCCA, Canada
- Janet Rose Plummer FCCA, Caribbean
- Lu Kai FCCA, China
- Clodagh Hegarty FCCA, Ireland
- Elaine Boyd FCCA, UK
- Ayaz Wadia FCCA, US
Adedeji started advocating actively as an affiliate in 2017 at a time when ACCA had little presence the in Lagos State Government (LASG). During an affiliate conversion workshop, she engaged the ACCA team with the opportunity of working with LASG and facilitated a meeting with the then Lagos State Treasury’s director of financial intelligence and research – and so the journey began.
She is passionate about increasing recognition for ACCA members in the LASG, a sector that is largely populated by accountants who are members of national bodies.
‘The awards recognise those members who have given back to ACCA and the profession through active advocacy’
Adedeji has worked with ACCA in Nigeria to design an International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) offering for LASG, which was approved by the office of the accountant-general. Following that, the office of the accountant-general sponsored 14 staff members for the ACCA IPSAS certification. Subsequently, more than 800 accountants, including ACCA members, have been sponsored the state government via the office of the honourable commissioner for finance.
Adedeji has also mentored and supported prospective students and future members through multiple platforms, such as the finance bite-size learning affiliate conversion workshops, creating access to the ACCA Qualification from 2020 until the present day.
‘Adedeji’s efforts have helped position ACCA as the qualification of choice for the Nigerian public sector’
‘I am delighted that Adedeji has been selected as the winner of our first ever ACCA global public sector advocacy award,’ says Anthony Harbinson, one of the judges, chair of ACCA’s public sector forum and a former ACCA president. ‘The awards are not about career achievement and personal success, but recognise those members who have given back to ACCA and the profession through active advocacy.
‘Adedeji significantly enhanced ACCA’s relationship with the Lagos State Government, while also supporting IPSAS implementation and engaging hundreds of ACCA prospects. Her efforts have helped position ACCA as the qualification of choice for the Nigerian public sector, and supported the state government’s public financial management drive.
‘We are very grateful for all her endeavours in what was a very strong field of regional winners.’
Adedeji said of her award: ‘This serves as an encouraging affirmation that my advocacy for an association I am proud to be a member of has been impactful.
‘While as members we are aware of ACCA’s commitment to its core values of opportunity, diversity, innovation and integrity,’ she continued, ‘we must remain cognisant of the fact that there will always be those of potential benefit – to ACCA, to themselves and to our societies – who are yet to know what we stand for.
‘I would therefore like to use the platform of this award to remind us all that we have a duty to get the word out about ACCA. I consider my advocacy for ACCA to still be in its infancy while I ‘think ahead’ about what we can still achieve.
More information
Join other ACCA members and hear from experts working in the public sector at ACCA’s 12th International Public Sector Conference on 2 December
