DEADLINE: 16TH AUGUST, 2026
FEDERAL MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY
NATIONAL PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT UNIT
N0.4 BATNA CLOSE OFF AGADEZ CRESCENT, OFF AMINU KANO CRESCENT, WUSE 2, ABUJA.
INVITATION FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI) FOR THE RECRUITMENT OF FINANCIAL CONTROLLER UNDER THE FGN/IFAD-VCDP PROJECT
BACKGROUND
In pursuant of the Federal Government of Nigeria’s National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP) 2022 – 2027 aims to transform the country’s agricultural sector through technology and innovation and the need to ensure self-sufficiency in domestic food production, the FGN/IFAD Value Chain Development Programme (IFAD-VCDP) under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development was set up to support Federal Government’s strategic vision for growth and development through strengthening of the agricultural sector to increase food security, accelerate economic growth and reduce vulnerability for smallholder farmers particularly women and youths.
The Project Development Objective (PDO) initiative is anchored on the promotion of Agriculture Productivity Enhancement on a sustainable basis, Incomes and food security of poor rural households engaged in the production, processing, and marketing of Rice and Cassava in six states of Anambra, Benue, Ebony, Niger, Ogun, Enugu, Kogi, Nasarawa, and Taraba States.
1.3 Consequently, Expression of Interest (EOI) is hereby solicited from suitably qualified and interested candidates to participate in the FGN/IFAD VALUE CHAIN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME ADDITIONAL FINANCING (IFAD-VCDP – AF). THE MARKET COMPETITIVE RECRUITMENT IS OPEN TO ALL QUALIFIED NIGERIAN CANDIDATES
1. Position Overview
The Financial Controller (FC) is the senior financial officer of the Programme, responsible for the overall integrity of financial operations, compliance with IFAD fiduciary requirements, and the successful financial closure of the project. As the project enters its final implementation phase, the FC will provide strategic financial leadership to optimize fund utilization, ensure robust internal controls, and execute a seamless transition toward financial closure.
Reporting directly to the National Programme Coordinator (NPC), the FC will lead the finance team at the NPMU and provide technical oversight to State-level finance staff, ensuring consistent application of financial procedures across all implementing units.
2. Key Responsibilities
A. Financial Management and Disbursement
- Ensure the Programme’s financial procedures, as detailed in the Programme Implementation and Financial Manuals, are strictly adhered to by all Programme staff and implementing partners at the national and state levels.
- Facilitate the timely disbursement of Programme funds to the various accounting units.
- Compile Statement of Expenditures (SOEs) for the NPMU and other implementing partners for timely preparation of withdrawal applications.
- Develop and execute disbursement strategies to maximize utilization of available financing instruments (Original Loan, AF1, AF2, ASAP Grant) before project completion.
- Lead the preparation and timely submission of Interim Financial Reports (IFRs), ensuring complete documentation and alignment with the ICP platform requirements.
- Coordinate with Component Managers and Procurement to ensure timely financial execution of planned activities.
- Manage project bank accounts, co-sign all payments, and validate all monthly bank reconciliations.
- Establish funds utilization monitoring dashboards and escalation mechanisms for bottlenecks.
B. Accounting System and Financial Reporting
- Ensure adherence to the International Financial Reporting System, as well as the Government of Nigeria’s financial practices and circulars as issued from time to time.
- Maintain a sound accounting system that ensures the installation of a good and complete chart of accounts, and maintain all relevant books of accounts that ensure complete recording and reporting of all financial and non-financial transactions of the Programme at all levels.
- Prepare consolidated financial reports and statements and advise NPC on the Programme’s financial status and trends.
- Coordinate the activities of the accountants at the State Programme Management Units (SPMUs) and prepare consolidated reports for the Programme.
- Facilitate the installation and management of a sound Integrated Financial Management Information System (Computerized Accounting) at both the NPMU and SPMU
- Ensure the installation of a complete chart of accounts with proper coding to capture each financing instrument separately; maintain all relevant books of accounts for recording financial and non-financial transactions.
- Ensure AWPB integration into the accounting system with automated budget-to-actual variance tracking and prior budget verification before expenditure commitments.
- Prepare and submit timely Interim Financial Reports (IFRs) in accordance with IFAD requirements and IPSAS Cash Basis.
- Prepare Annual Financial Statements compliant with international accounting standards for external audit.
C. Internal Controls and Compliance
- Ensure the Programme’s financial procedures, as detailed in the Programme Implementation and Financial Manuals, are strictly adhered to by all Programmes.
- Design and enforce a comprehensive internal control framework aligned with the PTM, Financial Manual, and IFAD’s Financial Management and Financial Control Letter (FMFCL).
- Implement standardized payment voucher checklists and pre-payment verification processes across all PMUs, ensuring complete supporting documentation for all transactions.
- Standardize bank reconciliation procedures across all PMUs, ensuring monthly completion with supervisory review and evidence of follow-up on reconciling items.
- Implement a robust travel advance management system with enforced retirement timelines and accurate recording in the accounting system.
- Maintain and regularly update the Fixed Asset Register with proper categorization aligned to accounting classifications; ensure timely recording of asset acquisitions and quarterly physical verification.
- Ensure vehicle logbooks are properly maintained and regularly reviewed for authorized use.
- Ensure all contracts requiring IFAD No-Objection are properly submitted before execution; maintain a compliance tracker for all IFAD notification requirements.
D. Matching Grants and Beneficiary Contributions
- Establish and manage a specialized accounting framework for matching grants, ensuring accurate verification, valuation, and recording of beneficiary contributions.
- Develop a formal valuation methodology for in-kind contributions (particularly land), ensuring proper documentation, system recording, and auditor recognition.
- Coordinate with the third-party verification partner to strengthen input distribution validation and beneficiary confirmation processes.
- Maintain comprehensive beneficiary distribution lists with individual farmer identification for all matching grant disbursements.
- Ensure all cash contributions are supported by official bank deposit documentation.
E. Counterpart Funds Management
- Establish a systematic tracking mechanism for Federal and State Government counterpart contributions, ensuring timely recording and reconciliation with IFAD accounts.
- Coordinate with government counterparts to ensure timely release and documentation of committed funds.
- Ensure in-kind contributions from States are properly valued, documented, and recorded in compliance with IFAD requirements.
F. Audit Coordination and Recommendation Follow-Up
- Facilitate and ensure that external auditors are provided with all necessary documents and information during the audits as detailed in the Financing Agreement.
- Coordinate the process of contracting the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation (OAuGF) to audit annual project accounts, ensuring audits are completed and reports issued within specified timeframes.
- Maintain a consolidated database for tracking recommendations from IFAD supervision missions, implementation support missions, and external audits; ensure systematic follow-up and implementation.
- Review audit reports to ensure compliance with ISSAI standards, including completeness of Key Audit Matters, variance analysis, and risk classification of findings.
- Support the Internal Auditor function and ensure quarterly internal audit reports inform management actions.
G. Budgeting and AWPB Management
- Lead the preparation of the Annual Work Plan and Budget (AWPB), consolidating inputs from all parties for submission and presentation to the National Steering Committee and IFAD.
- Drive timely submission of the AWPB to ensure maximum execution time within each fiscal year.
- Lead quarterly budget variance analysis and cash flow forecast processes in coordination with M&E, Procurement, and Component Managers.
- Monitor project budgets and advise the NPC on the Programme’s financial status, trends, and any risks of budget category overruns.
H. Project Completion and Financial Closure
- Develop and execute a Comprehensive Financial Closure Plan targeting completion of all project activities by December 2026 and final financial wind-down by June 2027.
- Lead the final reconciliation of all project accounts across all financing instruments and Designated Accounts.
- Ensure timely settlement of all outstanding financial commitments, including final payments to contractors, service providers, and staff.
- Prepare the financial components of the Project Completion Report (PCR) with full accountability of all resources utilized.
- Coordinate the final external audit and preparation of closing Financial Statements.
- Manage the handover and/or disposal of project assets in accordance with the Financing Agreement and government requirements.
I. Team Leadership and Capacity Building
- Directly supervise NPMU finance staff and provide technical oversight to State-level finance officers.
- Conduct training to ensure staff familiarity with the PIM, Financial Manual, and internal control procedures.
- Implement performance-based evaluations for finance staff that assess competency in specific technical areas.
- Standardize operational procedures across all six State PMUs to ensure consistent financial management practices.
3. Required Qualifications and Experience
Education
- Master’s or higher-level University degree in Agricultural Economics, Business Management, Finance, Economics, or other relevant fields.
Professional Certification
- Active membership in a recognized professional accounting body (ACA, ACCA, ANAN, CPA, or equivalent) with at least 6 years of post-qualification experience.
Professional Experience
- Minimum 5 years of progressively responsible experience in financial management of internationally funded development projects, preferably with IFAD, World Bank, AfDB, or similar multilateral development organizations.
- Strong working knowledge of both national and international accounting procedures.
- Working knowledge of banking and financial control procedures
- Strong computer skills, spreadsheets, and other relevant accounting packages.
- Demonstrated experience in project financial closure and wind-down, including preparation of closing financial statements, final audits, and Project Completion Reports. Candidates who have successfully closed at least one donor-funded project will be given strong preference.
- Experience managing complex matching grant schemes or beneficiary contribution verification systems.
- Experience working in multi-stakeholder environments involving government counterparts at the federal and state levels.
Technical Skills
- Strong working knowledge of IPSAS (Cash Basis) and experience preparing financial statements compliant with international standards.
- Proficiency in computerized accounting systems, with demonstrated ability to configure chart of accounts, automate financial reporting, and ensure system integrity.
- Strong understanding of internal control frameworks and risk management in development project contexts.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel for financial analysis and reporting.
- Knowledge of IFAD disbursement procedures and IFR preparation, including familiarity with the OPEN system, or an online procurement and/or disbursement system, will be an advantage.
Personal Competencies
- Results-driven leadership: Ability to drive results in a time-constrained environment with multiple competing priorities.
- Problem-solving orientation: Proactive approach to identifying and resolving issues systematically.
- Excellent communication: Ability to convey complex financial information clearly to non-financial stakeholders and to engage constructively with government counterparts.
- Integrity and independence: Commitment to fiduciary standards with the ability to maintain professional independence.
- Team builder: Capacity to mentor staff, standardize practices across dispersed teams, and foster accountability.
4. Terms and Conditions
- Contract Duration: Initial contract through September 2027 to financial closure date.
- Travel: Regular travel to State PMUs in Anambra, Benue, Ebonyi, Niger, Ogun, and Taraba required. Occasional travel for IFAD missions and trainings.
- Remuneration: Competitive package commensurate with qualifications and experience, in accordance with FGN/IFAD salary scales for nationally recruited project staff.
5. Reporting and Location
- Located in Abuja, the FCT, and will report directly to the National Programme Coordinator
6. Submission of Expression of Interest (EOI)
The Expression of Interest applications are to be submitted in ten (10) copies, including one original and nine (9) photocopies, properly sealed and clearly marked at the top right-hand cover “EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI) FOR THE RECRUITMENT OF FINANCIAL CONTROLLER UNDER FGN/IFAD-VCDP PROJECT.”
Each envelope should include a CV and an application letter with a cover letter suited for the position being applied for. The sealed envelope should be addressed and delivered to:
The Permanent Secretary
Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS)
c/o Director, Federal Department of Development Partners Projects (FD-DPP)
No. 1, Eldoret Close, Off Aminu Kano Crescent,
Wuse II – Abuja.
7. Submission of Expression of Interest (EOI)
The submission of Expression of Interest (EOI) shall close at the Headquarters at 12:00 noon on 16th August, 2026.
Signed:
Permanent Secretary
