Business
Civil Servants Face Suspension Over Salary Padding
Some civil servants across several Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have been suspended for alleged salary “padding”.
Some of those suspended are from the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) and an undisclosed institute.
The Tide source learnt that some civil servants connived with some officials in the OAGF to pad their salaries by manipulating the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
In one instance, an Assistant Director involved with the IPPIS unit of the RMAFC is under probe over salary padding.
The Assistant Director (AD), an IPPIS desk officer in charge of staff’ salary, was alleged to have connived with some staff of the OAGF to pad the salaries of unspecified number of lower level staff.
A source familiar with the incident said, “The AD in connivance with some staff are neck deep in the salary padding racket. The alarm blew up recently when a level 7 officer whose salary should be in the range of N60,000 was paid over N400,000, salary package of Director.
“What happened was, another colleague on same salary scale saw the pay slip of a female colleague with a net pay of over N400,000. Surprised, he tried to get details of the excess payment but was rebuffed.
“Following the cold attitude from his colleague, the aggrieved staff raised the alarm and a committee was set up to investigate the matter”.
The salary padding racket, the source learnt, has been on for a while among a small clique of civil servants in different MDAs with the IPPIS office in the OAGF as the epicentre.
Reacting to the development, the OAGF in a statement, said it is “in receipt of enquiries over alleged “salary padding” on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) involving some unspecified Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA).”
The OAGF noted “there is no evidence of “salary padding” before the OAGF at this time; however, the office is aware of reported breach of the IPPIS third party payment protocol at an Institute outside Abuja”.
It added: “The incident has since been reported to, and is being investigated by relevant anti-corruption, security and regulatory agencies.
“In the meantime, a staff suspected to be connected with the breach has been suspended to allow for thorough investigation.
“All necessary steps are being taken to strengthen the controls around the IPPIS payment platform and an independent forensic audit of the entire payroll system is underway to ascertain if the reported breach is isolated or widespread”.
Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) Mohammed Bello Shehu, confirmed to The Nation the commission has identified some culprits and placed them on suspension pending the investigation of the incidence.
He said some staff of the Commission were found to have manipulated the IPPIS system to pad their salaries above what they were supposed to earn.
Shehu said: “If the indicted officials are found culpable of the salary padding allegations, they will be handed over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution”.
Kolomoni Microfinance Bank has awarded grants to five female entrepreneurs to boost their businesses as part of its commitment to promoting women in business.
The initiative, organized to mark International Women’s Day, was themed “Accelerate Her Growth.”
According to the bank, the decision to support women was inspired by World Bank data, which shows that 41 percent of Nigeria’s micro-businesses are owned by women.
Delivering the keynote address, business strategist, Ebun Akinwale, emphasized that entrepreneurship requires resilience, creativity, and passion.
She illustrated this by recounting her own business challenges and highlighting the critical role passion plays in overcoming obstacles.
The event underscored Kolomoni’s mission to empower women and support small businesses in Nigeria.
Other speakers at the occasion were Odunayo Oyebolu, a seasoned entrepreneur; Victori Ajiboye, a marketing strategist with global experience; and Simi Ojumu, a finance expert.
The beneficiaries said the financial support was a validation of their hard work and a boost of confidence towards scaling through in their businesses.
The winners were selected after sharing their entrepreneurial journeys and presenting business proposals for financial assistance from the bank.
The 8th edition of the Nigeria Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Summit and Awards (Nigeria SMEAwards) is set to take place in Lagos for the first time in its history, marking a significant milestone for this prestigious event.
Endorsed by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), the annual awards celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit driving Nigeria’s economy.
The visionary convener of NigeriaSMEAwards 2025, Adedayo Olalekan, said, “Governors from Zamfara, Sokoto, Ebonyi, Borno, Enugu, Ekiti, Benue, and Kaduna States have all implemented transformative initiatives that have greatly benefitted local enterprises.
“Their contributions will serve as a beacon of inspiration for the nation.”
Speaking at a recent press conference in Lagos, Olalekan emphasised that the event would introduce a fresh and unique approach, moving away from tradition.
“Despite economic challenges, Nigerians continue to show an unwavering commitment to progress”, he said.
He noted that the awards will not only honor outstanding individuals, but also recognise the critical role state governments play in nurturing vibrant SMEs.
“State governments have been instrumental in fostering a supportive environment for SMEs, which in turn benefits both the awardees and the larger economy.
“With major banks like Providus, Access, and First Banks competing for top honors, the 8th NigeriaSMEAwards promises to be a night of celebration, recognising exceptional contributions to Nigeria’s SME landscape”, Olalekan added.
Amid global challenges such as inflation, geopolitical instability, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Nigerians continue to show remarkable resilience.
Their efforts, according to reports, have contributed to job creation, economic growth, and overall prosperity, with SMEs at the forefront of this success.
This year’s awards will recognise governors who have made significant strides in advancing the SME sector within their states.
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) consultants in Rivers State have called on entrepreneurs to be focused and avoid distractions.
The experts, who were speaking on the recent developments about the change of leadership in the state, said entrepreneurs need to put more efforts in their businesses in order to break even in the present situation in Rivers State.
Speaking in a chat with The Tide, an international SMEs consultant, Amb. Larry Goodwill Ajiola, said the political moves is capable of distracting SMEs who are not grounded in their businesses, adding that “the serious minded business men and women would utilise the opportunity to increase their revenues”.
Amb Ajiola, who is the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Rumuomasi Co-operative and Credit Society Limited, Port Harcourt, said, “Rugged entrepreneurs look out for business opportunities in situations around them, whether good or bad”.
He reiterated that the loan facility given to 3,000 SMEs in the state revived and expanded businesses, adding that the empowered businesses should continue to push, no matter the situation.
“credit is a powerful tool for achieving financial security.
“We can only keep imagin the economic value that the over 3,000 MSMEs would add to the positive economic dynamics of Rivers State and the Local Government Areas in terms of Gross Domestic Prooduct (GDP), increased tax returns, employment creation, income distribution, and production of goods and services”, he said.
Another SMEs Expert, a business consultant and SMEs trainer, Mr. Chisom Sam-Orji, in his advice, noted that every SME in the state should realize that change is the only constant thing.
He said SMEs should also know that “tough times never last, but tough people do”, adding the need for every entrepreneur to stay focused on creating value and remain resilient.
“This is not the time to be distracted by every noise around your space, but to maximize every time you have to focus on the essentials and keep creating value.
“For some people, it may just be the time to diversify, create new products and services to serve a new or existing market. But this must be based on the facts available to you via research and market surveys”, he said.
The SMEs expert also said the present time in the life of an entrepreneur is a time to cut off unnecessary excesses that surround one’s business.
“Those extra costs that may hamper your growth in this season and beyond, and focus on just essentials.
“SMEs should find certain leverages that are available to aid their business growth. This could be in form of grants, knowledge, and other leverage tools.
“Collaboration is one big way to grow in this season. Finding ways to collaborate with like minds instead of competing could enable a product or service gain advantage in the market and beyond.
“They should also find ways to sustain and grow their customer relationship as this is key to sustaining business flow. They must seek new and efficient ways to serve their customers and gain their loyalty”, he stated.
He further called on every entrepreneur to keep building capacity and never take their eyes off their visions, adding the need to muster every courage it takes to keep building and moving forward.
Lilian Peters