Fatai Adegboye, a Nigerian national, joined WFP in 2000 as an internal auditor at the Rome HQ. His work for the past 24 years involved managing third-party accounts, developing guidelines for third-party accounting, and utilizing Excel for data analysis. Adegboye played a significant role in drafting WFP’s first third-party accounting procedures, helping the organization support external partners like UNICEF and UNHCR by properly accounting for services rendered. In Sudan, amid a major emergency operation, Adegboye served as head of finance and administration, where he innovated solutions to streamline payroll and invoice management. He helped create the first payroll system, crucial in managing the large-scale operation effectively. In Uganda, he continued to introduce initiatives, such as a stationery management system, and took on additional responsibilities like negotiating warehouse purchases for farmers. Adegboye emphasized the importance of understanding and integrating finance with broader operational goals and advocated for training non-finance staff to improve organizational efficiency. He advised new staff to approach their roles with passion and openness to additional responsibilities, highlighting the importance of cross-functional knowledge and proactive problem-solving.
