By Nkechi Eze
The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has charged the Scheme’s Internal Auditors to embrace digital innovation as a critical tool for strengthening accountability, improving efficiency and enhancing service delivery across the organisation.
The charge was given at the 2025 NYSC Auditors’ Workshop held in Abuja, according to an official statement issued by the Director of Information and Public Relations of the Scheme, Caroline Embu.
Represented at the event by the Director of Human Resource Management, Alhaji Ibrahim Muhammad, the NYSC boss underscored the growing importance of technology-driven auditing processes, noting that digital tools have become indispensable for precise cash flow forecasting, real-time budget tracking and evidence-based decision-making, especially in an era of limited resources.
He urged the auditors to continuously upgrade their digital competencies and move away from outdated paper-based methods, stressing that innovation enables real-time monitoring and verification of transactions while significantly reducing human error and operational inefficiency.
“We are moving beyond the traditional paper-based method. Digital innovation enables real-time monitoring and verification of transactions. Without doubt, deploying digital solutions in auditing will help eliminate human errors and inefficiency from organisational operations,” he said.
Brigadier General Nafiu described the theme of the workshop, “Strengthening Accountability through Digital Innovation in Audit Process: A Catalyst for Strategic Cash Planning,” as timely and relevant, noting that it aligns with the principles of financial prudence required to guide the NYSC towards improved performance and sustainability through the use of modern digital platforms.
He emphasised the central role of auditors in any organisation, describing them as gatekeepers whose vigilance in daily transactions is essential for curbing excesses and promoting fiscal discipline. He reaffirmed the commitment of the NYSC management to transparency and accountability in all financial dealings, while remaining focused on its core mandate of fostering national unity, integration and all-round development.
“Transparency is a vital pillar of trust in every organisation. As auditors, you must not compromise standards,” the Director-General stated.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Director of Internal Audit, Dr. Levi Agim, said the workshop was designed to strategically examine the integration of digital tools into the NYSC’s internal audit processes with a view to improving efficiency, accuracy and oversight.
The workshop also featured goodwill messages from key stakeholders, including Dr. Mathias Nicholas of the House of Representatives; Dr. James Nda Abalaka of the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation; and a former Director of Internal Audit of the NYSC, Mr. Leke Abiodun.
Participants were encouraged to leverage the knowledge shared at the workshop to strengthen internal controls and contribute to the overall effectiveness and credibility of the Scheme’s financial management system.
