PAFA Holds The Historic ACOA Congress in Kigali Rwanda

African Professionalisation Initiative Charts New Course for Public Finance Excellence at PAFA ACOA Congress in Kigali

KIGALI, RWANDA – The African Professionalisation Initiative (API) emerged from the prestigious PAFA ACOA Congress in Kigali, Rwanda (May 5-9, 2025) with renewed momentum, solidifying its position as a transformative force for public finance across the continent. This landmark gathering, themed “Creating Value For Africa,” provided an unparalleled platform for API to champion its vision: to realize an African public sector sustainably capacitated with competent, ethical, and influential professionals who support accountability, transparency, and good financial governance.

API staff actively participated in the congress, engaging with a diverse array of delegates and fostering crucial dialogues on the future of public financial management. A highlight of their engagement was an exclusive, focused meeting between the API CEO and Mr. Lee White, the esteemed CEO of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC). This pivotal session saw Mr. White offering invaluable advice and strategic insights to the API CEO, laying a clear roadmap for achieving resounding success in public sector professionalization across Africa.

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Beyond this significant encounter, the API CEO held productive meetings with various delegations from API partnering countries, including Liberia, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Nigeria, Eritrea, Burkina Faso, Lesotho, and The Gambia, among others. These discussions underscored the widespread commitment to enhancing public finance capabilities and further solidified collaborative efforts. Strategic partnerships were also reinforced through meetings with key organizations such as the African Development Bank (AFDB), AdaptIT/Caseware, IFAC staff, AICPA/CIMA, and ACCA, highlighting the broad coalition driving API’s impactful work.

The ACOA Congress itself, as outlined in the detailed programme, served as a vibrant nexus for thought leadership and collaboration. From plenary sessions dissecting critical financial trends to concurrent sessions diving deep into specialized areas, the congress showcased Africa’s collective dedication to financial excellence. Events such as the PAFA Board Meeting, the PAFA Technical Advisory Group Meetings, and the PAFA PAO Leadership Forum underscored the depth of engagement across the continent’s accountancy landscape. The congress fostered an environment ripe for strategic planning and the forging of partnerships essential for advancing public sector finance.

The Professional Public Sector Accountant (PPSA): A Strategic Imperative for Africa

The value API brings to the continent is profoundly encapsulated in its recently launched Professional Public Sector Accountant (PPSA) designation. This continental solution, formally approved by the API Executive Committee on May 9, 2025, is more than a mere credential; it is a strategic instrument designed with the foresight of visionary thinking, anticipating the complex challenges and opportunities within Africa’s public finance landscape. The PPSA stands as a declaration of purpose for “One Africa, one professional standard, and one shared destiny”. The designation can be Adopted  (Awarded without modification) or Adapted (Modified to align to in country context) by in-country designation awarding bodies.

The PPSA is a game-changer because it:

• Augments Continental Integration & Mobility: Aligned with the African Union Agenda 2063 and the AfCFTA Protocol on Trade in Services, the PPSA facilitates the smoother and more reliable mobility of public sector finance professionals across African countries by creating a harmonized, trusted standard. It empowers governments to tap into a shared pool of high-performing talent and foster cross-border collaboration in public financial management.

• Drives Operational Efficiency & SDG Delivery: By professionalizing public sector finance functions at scale, the PPSA enhances decision-making, compliance, and accountability, thereby creating institutional efficiencies essential for realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It strengthens fiscal governance, improves budget execution, and boosts service delivery outcomes, particularly in health, education, infrastructure, and climate resilience.

• Bridges National Systems with Global Best Practice: While grounded in national sovereignty and local institutional ownership, the PPSA meets globally benchmarked standards prescribed by respected bodies such as IFAC and INTOSAI. This ensures that African public finance professionals are not only nationally recognized but globally respected.

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Liberia Leads the Way: First PPSA Graduation on the Horizon

The API’s commitment to action culminates in a historic event slated for July 4th, 2025, in Liberia. This date marks the inaugural graduation of professionals from API’s pioneering programs, who will become the very first holders of the Professional Public Sector Accountant (PPSA) designation under the API program. This milestone signifies a tangible step towards a sustainably capacitated public sector in Africa.

API extends its heartfelt appreciation to the visionary leadership in Liberia for their unwavering support and dedication to this initiative. Special recognition goes to the leadership of the Liberia Institute of Certified Public Accountants (LICPA), particularly President Papin Daniel, Auditor General Garswa Jackson, and the Controller and Accountant General Elwood Nettey. The persistent efforts of LICPA CEO Charles Kpadeh and former CEO Hector Wuor have been instrumental in transforming this ambitious vision into a concrete reality. Liberia’s commitment sets a powerful precedent for other African nations to follow.

A Call to Action for Governments: Invest in Public Finance Professionalization

The resounding success of API’s engagements at the PAFA ACOA Congress, combined with the imminent graduation in Liberia, serves as a compelling call to action for all African governments. The PPSA is a strategic investment in national development, offering a clear pathway to enhanced accountability, transparency, and good financial governance.

We urge all Public Accountancy Organizations (PAOs), Auditors General, Accountants General, Ministries, Regional Economic Communities, Development Partners, and Public Officers to embrace the PPSA as a unifying strategic instrument. Enroll your staff in API professionalization programs and empower them to become key players in Africa’s progress and transformation. This is an invitation to co-create a future where public finance professionals move seamlessly across borders, uphold shared standards, and deliver results with integrity and innovation. It is an investment in a brighter, more accountable future for Africa.

About The API

The African Professionalisation Initiative is an independent non-profit organisation whose primary objective is to strengthen the capacity and knowledge base of accounting and auditing professionals in the African public sector to enhance accounting and auditing service delivery to the citizens of Africa.

Our Vision: An African public sector sustainably capacitated with competent, ethical and influential professionals who support accountability, transparency and good financial governance. Our Mission: Grow the capacity of public sector finance management professionals in the African public sector through high quality, relevant and future fit learning programmes.

The API Partner Organisations

The African Professionalisation Initiative is a partnership between the accountancy profession (represented by the Pan African Federation of Accountants (“PAFA”)), Accountants General or their equivalent (African Association of Accountants General – “AAAG”)), and supreme audit institutions or courts of auditors (represented by the English (“AFROSAI-E”) and French (“CREFIAF”) language sub-groups of the African Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (“AFROSAI”)).

The African Professionalisation Initiative (API) operates not as a Professional Accountancy Organisation (PAO), but as a facilitator and catalyst for the professionalisation of public sector accountants and auditors. This critical role accelerates accountability and transparency within the public sector. Consequently, it increases the number of professional accountants eligible for membership in national PAOs, thereby enhancing their effectiveness. This growth strengthens the accountancy profession at the national level through the Pan African Federation of Accountants (PAFA) on the continental level, and with the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) on the international level.

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