Effect of Accounting Software on Transparency in the Nigerian Public Sector

Public sector accounting software worldwide has some common objectives and peculiarities in measuring and recording receipts, expenditure, and budgetary control in the public sector. This is due to widespread cases of corruption in the public sector. To curb the issue, the International Monetary Fund through home governments encouraged the use of software as a means to encourage transparency in financial dealings of public organizations. In Nigeria, the notable accounting software in the public sector are both IPPIS and GIFMIS. This is why the current study examined the effect of accounting software on transparency in the Nigerian public sector. The study adopted a survey research design and questionnaires were issued to 250 staff of the Federal Pay-office Nigeria 202 duly filled and returned questionnaires formed the sample size used for the study. The study used both descriptive statistics and ordinary least square regression to analyze the datat. It was found that, both IPPIS and GIFMIS software have a positive relationship and significant effect on transparency of organizations in the Nigerian Public sector. The study concludes that the adoption of IPPIS and GIFMIS as accounting software has positively affected the level of transparency in Nigerian public-sector organizations. The study recommends that the Federal Government of Nigeria should keep up with the current trend of IPPIS and GIFMIS implementation in the public sector. This has made stakeholders gain confidence in the financial responsibility of the government owing to the improved transparency entrenched in public financial activities.