Anne Njenga FCCA faces tough calls as a matter of course in her work. As finance risk and assurance lead with the British High Commission in Rwanda, she oversees an aid programme budget of around £30m and an operations budget of around £2m.
UK aid budgets have been steadily shrinking – from 0.7% of gross national income in 2020 to a proposed 0.3% in 2027 – meaning that Njenga must find innovative ways to do more with less.
‘It’s about using in-house expertise instead of outsourcing, planning responsible exits from programmes, and ensuring that the most vulnerable remain protected,’ she explains. ‘It’s less about digital transformation and more about strategic thinking: what do we really need to keep doing, and what can we let go of?’
‘It’s a broad role that gives me a full picture of the organisation’
Although Njenga isn’t the final decision-maker, she values being consulted and involved. ‘What I appreciate most is that my voice is heard. When people value your insight, especially as someone on the ground, it makes all the difference.’
Fortuitous timing
Long hours working in audit at KPMG prompted Njenga’s move to the public sector in 2019. ‘I wanted to be there for my daughters, to help with their homework, and also have time for myself,’ she explains. That led her to apply for a role at the British High Commission.
The timing was fortuitous. In 2020 the UK government merged two departments to create the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. For Njenga, that meant a bigger portfolio and the chance to influence both programme and operational finance in Rwanda as well as Burundi, which also comes under her remit; she also collaborates with regional teams in London, Pretoria and Manila.
‘Before the merger, I was purely on the programme finance side,’ she says. ‘Now, I manage everything, from budgeting, forecasting and compliance to fraud liaison and fiduciary risk. It’s a broad role, but one that gives me a full picture of the organisation.’
‘Being able to redirect funds quickly was fulfilling’
That oversight was especially crucial during the Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda in 2024. ‘It was unplanned, unbudgeted and urgent,’ she recalls. ‘Being in the room and able to redirect funds quickly to respond – working with colleagues in London and elsewhere – was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my job. You realise your work in finance can truly have impact.’
Medicine to maths
Growing up in a small village in central Kenya, Njenga originally had her sights set on becoming a neurosurgeon. But, as is often the case, life held something else in store for her, and a gentle but firm nudge from her father turned her towards accountancy.
‘I used to laugh at anyone who said they wanted to be an accountant,’ Njenga recalls with a smile. ‘I thought it was the most boring thing in the world.’
However, the experience of a professional accountant at her father’s workplace, who received a significant pay bump after completing the ACCA qualification, made an impression. ‘My dad signed me up for ACCA before I even knew what it stood for,’ Njenga says. ‘The only thing I had to do was organise a passport photo.’
‘It was a dream opportunity to shape something meaningful’
Skipping university in favour of studying ACCA full time, Njenga took advantage of the qualification’s academic partnerships. She completed a BSc in applied accounting through Oxford Brookes University, then went on to earn her MSc in professional accounting through University of London, graduating this year, and all on the ACCA pathway. While revising for the exams, she met her future husband, who is also an ACCA member.
Shaping the future
Her first big career break came at KPMG, where she joined the firm’s recently established Rwanda office as a financial audit associate in 2013. ‘I was passionate about international development,’ she says, ‘so I built something from the ground up.’
Njenga set the foundations for her current role while at the Big Four firm, where she handled public sector and international development and government advisory work relating to Rwanda and Burundi. ‘I was the only permanent staff member for those departments,’ she says. ‘Everyone else rotated across sectors, but I stayed put. I created templates for audit working papers and proposals, and became the office’s IPSAS [International Public Sector Accounting Standards] champion; it was a dream opportunity to shape something meaningful.’
KPMG taught her more than just technical skills: ‘It was where I learned how to manage people, clients, bosses,’ she says. ‘I picked up business development skills and learnt how to write proposals. It’s where I really grew.’
For Njenga, what keeps the fire burning is her love for international development. ‘It’s not about profit for me; I need to feel my work means something,’ she says. ‘And here, I see the impact. It’s not just inside the organisation; it’s out there in people’s lives.’
‘You have to keep the lights on, even when the strategy shifts’
She also relishes the variety in her role. ‘Finance is one of those functions that never stops. You still have to keep the lights on, even when the strategy shifts,’ she says. ‘But I also get to work across teams, see the full picture, improve processes and drive efficiency.’
Reflecting on her journey, she credits her father – and ACCA – for setting her on the right path. ‘I was pushed into it, but now I’m a champion of it,’ she says. ‘ACCA gave me more than a qualification; it gave me a career, a pathway, and the confidence to move countries and industries with ease.
‘It shapes how you think, how you work and how you lead,’ she adds. ‘And when you can blend your profession with your passion? That’s the sweet spot.’
