The federal government has officially released guidelines detailing the process for the formal exit of Federal Tertiary Institutions (FTIs) from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) platform.
The development, aimed at improving autonomy and efficiency in payroll management, was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) earlier this year.
In a circular issued on Tuesday, October 8, the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein, outlined the framework for the transition. The circular highlighted an exit strategy for FTIs from the IPPIS platform, emphasizing the need for immediate compliance with the newly issued guidelines.
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According to Dr. Madein, the payroll for FTIs in the month of October 2024 will still be processed on the IPPIS platform. However, starting from November 2024, the payrolls will be processed by the institutions themselves.
The will then be checked by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation’s (OAGF) IPPIS department, and payment will be made through the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) platform.
The circular sets a series of key deadlines that FTIs must meet for a seamless transition: All institutions are required to complete and submit the GIFMIS Enrolment Forms for personnel handling payroll-related roles. The forms will grant access to the Personnel Cost Budget Line for each institution on the GIFMIS platform.
The deadline for submission of these forms is set for October 21, 2024. Institutions must send these documents to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) either at the headquarters in Abuja or at Federal Pay Offices across the country.
To ensure that payrolls are processed accurately and promptly, institutions are also mandated to validate and upload the bank account details of all employees onto the GIFMIS platform by October 21, 2024.
To address outstanding financial obligations, the circular instructed FTIs to compile all pending promotion and salary arrears. These should be forwarded to the Budget Office of the Federation for further processing and resolution.
In the circular, Dr. Madein stressed the importance of strict adherence to the new operational guidelines. The success of this transition depends on the full cooperation of the management and accounting officers of all FTIs, who are required to ensure that the instructions in the circular are communicated and understood by all relevant parties within their institutions.
“The payrolls for the month of October 2024 for the Tertiary Institutions shall be processed on the IPPIS platform while that of November and December 2024 shall be processed by the institutions, checked by OAGF IPPIS, and payment made through the GIFMIS platform,” the AGF explained.
“All the institutions should complete and submit the GIFMIS Enrolment Forms (Personnel) for all role players to enable them to access the Personnel Cost Budget Line of the institutions on the GIFMIS Platform. The submission should be made on or before 21st October 2024 to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation at the Headquarters or Federal Pay Offices nationwide.”
Dr. Madein further reiterated that all tertiary institutions must ensure that the bank account details of their employees are validated and uploaded on the GIFMIS platform within the specified timeframe. This is crucial for ensuring uninterrupted salary payments in the months following the exit from IPPIS.
The transition away from IPPIS represents a significant shift for FTIs. The move has been welcomed by various academic unions, particularly the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which had long expressed concerns over discrepancies in the IPPIS system, including delays in salary payments and incorrect deductions. This new arrangement is seen as a step toward restoring institutional autonomy in managing personnel and payroll functions.
However, with the deadline fast approaching, the onus now lies on the institutions to ensure that the transition is smooth and that all requirements are met within the stipulated time.
Failure to comply with the guidelines could result in delays in payroll processing and disruptions in salary payments, which could further strain the already delicate relationship between tertiary institutions and the federal government.
Dr. Madein called on all tertiary institutions to comply with the guidelines and other extant regulations governing financial management. “All Tertiary Institutions are enjoined to comply with these operational guidelines and other extant rules and regulations. The Accounting Officers are to ensure that the content of this circular is brought to the attention of all concerned for strict compliance,” she said.
With the federal government’s commitment to enhancing transparency and efficiency in its financial management systems, this transition marks a crucial step in decentralizing payroll processes for Federal Tertiary Institutions while ensuring accountability through the GIFMIS platform.
The Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) was introduced to streamline payroll processes, prevent ghost workers, and improve government accountability in personnel costs.
However, several stakeholders in the education sector, including unions, have criticized the system for its rigidity and lack of flexibility in accommodating the unique requirements of academic institutions.
GIFMIS, on the other hand, is a robust platform designed to improve financial management and reporting in public institutions. It integrates all government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) into a single financial system, enabling real-time monitoring of public expenditure.
The Nation
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