About this programme

This course equips participants with the knowledge and tools to conduct effective payroll audits and establish strong internal controls in government institutions. It focuses on identifying payroll risks, ensuring compliance with regulations, preventing fraud, and improving transparency in public sector wage and benefits management. Through case studies and practical exercises, participants will learn how to streamline payroll systems, enhance accountability, and safeguard public funds.

Duration

5 Days

Who Should Attend

Government Payroll & HR Officers
Public Sector Internal & External Auditors
Finance & Accounts Officers in Ministries, Agencies, and Departments
Risk & Compliance Managers
Treasury and Budget Control Officers

Learning outcomes

What you'll walk away with

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

Understand payroll processes, risks, and compliance in government.
Apply auditing techniques to evaluate payroll accuracy.
Detect and prevent payroll fraud, ghost workers, and irregularities.
Strengthen payroll internal controls and reporting mechanisms.
Align payroll audits with broader public financial management systems.

Course modules

What we cover, module by module

Module 1: Payroll Systems in the Public Sector

Structure of government payroll systems
Regulatory frameworks & compliance requirements
Case Study: Payroll reforms in a public service institution

Module 2: Payroll Auditing Techniques

Risk-based payroll auditing approaches
Sampling, testing & reconciliation methods
Practical: Payroll audit checklist preparation

Module 3: Fraud Detection & Payroll Risks

Ghost workers, duplicate payments, & benefits fraud
Payroll data analytics for fraud detection
Case Study: Payroll fraud in a government agency

Module 4: Internal Controls in Payroll Management

Control frameworks for payroll processes
Role segregation & system automation controls
Practical: Designing payroll control mechanisms

Module 5: Reporting, Compliance & Continuous Improvement

Audit reporting for payroll systems
Integrating payroll audits with PFM reforms
Case Study: Strengthening payroll governance in the public sector

Impact

Where the change lands

For Organizations

Enhances payroll accuracy and efficiency
Reduces fraud, ghost workers, and salary leakage risks
Strengthens compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements
Promotes transparency and accountability in payroll management

✅ For Individuals

Skills to plan and conduct payroll audits effectively
Ability to identify payroll errors and fraud indicators
Enhanced knowledge of payroll compliance frameworks
Strengthened professional expertise in financial controls

Dates and locations

Upcoming intakes

Every intake is limited to a small cohort. Booking closes when a date fills or three weeks before the start, whichever comes first.

Full calendar

City	Starts	Ends	Delivery	Book
NakuruNext	20 Jul 2026	24 Jul 2026	In-Person	Book
Kigali	20 Jul 2026	24 Jul 2026	In-Person	Book
Accra	20 Jul 2026	24 Jul 2026	In-Person	Book
Kisumu	27 Jul 2026	31 Jul 2026	In-Person	Book
Johannesburg	27 Jul 2026	31 Jul 2026	In-Person	Book
Dakar	27 Jul 2026	31 Jul 2026	In-Person	Book