To share knowledge, enhance compliance practices and build strong financial systems, the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) has organized its 3rd Annual Accountants Conference, themed “Advancing Excellent Grant Compliance” in Abuja.
Financial professionals, internal auditors, and grant managers from across the country gathered for the four-day event which explored topics like regulatory changes, managing resources in a hyper-inflation economy, and using risk assessment tools.
IHVN Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Patrick Dakum enjoined participants to uphold excellence in their tasks and gain the skills and knowledge to uphold donor requirements and Nigerian regulations.
“Excellence is the hallmark of IHVN. As an institution, our success depends on our people. When we invest in training them to be excellent, we strengthen our systems, which helps attract and retain key donors,” he said.
Dr. Dakum added that the Institute’s centralized payment system and real-time transaction tracking have been vital in ensuring financial accuracy and timeliness. “Our commitment to transparency is a key reason why we continue to attract substantial support from major donors like the Global Fund,” he explained.
IHVN Director of Finance and Administration, Mr. Olu Alabi said the conference is organized by the Institute with the support of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).
“Our goal is to ensure everyone understands what is allowable and what isn’t. This helps us reduce issues and meet both our mandates and those of our donors. Participants find so much value in these sessions,” he stated.
Mr. Alabi said that participants, including sub-recipients working with, the Institute in 36 states have been updated on current regulations and federal guidelines, to enhance professionalism.
He also acknowledged the crucial support of the IHVN Executive Management, funders like CDC Nigeria, USAID, and Global Fund, and the collaboration with ICAN, which provided Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits to participants.
“This conference wouldn’t have been possible without their dedication to equipping our staff for success,” he said.
Conference Participants said that they gained invaluable insights at the meeting.
IHVN Grants and Contracts Assistant, Mr. Alonge Michael said that he “learned best practices for effective grant lifecycle management and risk mitigation techniques. This has broadened my knowledge on how to maintain grant integrity,” Michael noted.
IHVN Assistant Director Internal Audit and Compliance, Mr. Kayode Olaleye explained that the conference equipped participants with knowledge on how to adapt policies based on real-world challenges. He added that sessions on Artificial Intelligence and tax laws were especially beneficial.
