The State of the Internal Audit Profession in Africa

Internal audits performance can be enhanced for both operations and compliance, to strengthen their impact, we look at The Process (How), The Product (What) and The System (Where).

The Process type of audit helps to know that processes are working within established limits. It helps to evaluate a method against predetermined instructions or, standards to measure the conformance to these standards as well as the effectiveness of the instructions.

The Product type of audit is the examination of a particular product or service such as hardware, processed materials or software to evaluate whether it conforms to customers’ requirements. The Big 4(Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PWC) in conjunction with IIA, Nigeria has been able to help in strengthening internal audit’s impact and influence in all organizations.

The System type of audit explains the conduct on the management system.

It is a documented activity performed to verify by evaluation and examination of objective evidence that applicable elements of the system are appropriate and effective and have been developed, documented and implemented in accordance with specified requirements or as part of the IPPF global internal audit framework.
Internal audit has a critical role to play as the third line of defence in risk management and helping organizations in the ongoing battle of managing cyber threats, providing an independent assessment of existing and needed controls and helping the audit committee and board to understand and address the diverse risk of the digital world. And, until we realise the role that internal audit is playing and pay full attention to it, internal audits impact and influence won’t be felt much and as such cannot be strengthened.

Internal audits performance can only be heightened or strengthened if they adopt analytics, contemporize reporting, enhance skills and capabilities and try to increase personal impact for all operations and compliance.