Commissioner to Special Adviser: Zacchaeus Adedeji’s journey to Tinubu’s cabinet

Zacchaeus Adedeji is a skilled accountant and expert in corporate tax and public finance development. With over 15 years of experience, he has worked in corporate accounting, and public service administration, and provided advisory services to multinational corporations, state governments, and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

During his tenure as the Commissioner for Finance in Oyo State, Southwest Nigeria from 2011 to 2015, under Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s administration, Adedeji achieved remarkable milestones. He led a team of less than 50 personnel in implementing a Medium-Term Financial (MTF) strategy that greatly improved the financial and budgetary management of the state.

Under his leadership, there was significant financial growth, ensuring sustainable cash flow for recurrent expenditure and financing important capital projects. Over 200 roads, bridges, and repairs across the 33 Local Governments were successfully funded and completed. Adedeji also played a pivotal role in implementing a minimum wage increase from N7,500 to N19,000, as well as introducing a 13th-month salary for civil servants in the state. Additionally, his efforts in optimizing the state finance process resulted in annual budgetary savings of N7.2 Billion.

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Adedeji’s commitment to financial prudence is evident in his track record. He successfully managed the state’s finances without incurring new debts during his tenure and effectively reduced the state’s debt exposure by 50%.

Apart from his public service contributions, Adedeji is the co-founder and managing partner of RTR, a financial consulting firm that specializes in providing advisory services and policy development to public administrators and private institutions in West Africa.

He obtained a first-class degree in Accounting from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and holds a certificate in Comparative Tax Policy and Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School.