Economy
Setting standards operating procedure to increase efficiency for business
“Organizations cannot experience sustained growth until they make set of standards to guide their operations”
What Are Standard Operating Procedures?
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is a detailed and systemized instruction that is expressed in a step-by-step sequence on how the roles of employees should be carried out. A standard operating procedure is usually created by the employer in order to create a company culture that transcends individual differences in carrying out activities related to business and office management.
The Need For A Standard Operating Procedure?
§ A standard operating procedure ensures that a business can be successful since it operates with precision, accuracy and uniformity while working across different stakeholder segments of the business.
§ When regulatory agencies visit an organization and realize there is a standard operating procedure at work, it sends a positive image of control and proper management of activities.
§ It serves as the foundation of a good quality management system, such that an organization can become responsive when an error occurs, therefore making the ability to get back on track feasible.
Most small businesses are run in an informal manner regardless of the number of years, how much they have grown or the number of resources invested in them. Inasmuch as it is normal most organizations set their vision to become №1 in their industry and grow their businesses through the ranks from a brick and mortar business to a medium sized organization or conglomerate, it should be considered that only systems make organizations to serve the different the kind of people that come into it, and this is not to resent individuals with great talent who make immense contribution to delivering value in these organizations but that the organization takes the discipline to put a system in place and refine it as they grow, this compels team members to share in this generally accepted standard that the organization is trying to put in place. A number of processes are examined to fine tune what is expected in an ideal organization
Areas Standard Operating Procedures Are Applied
1. Cloud Storage of Electronic Documents
While different organizations have procedures for saving electronic documents. An easy to use general procedure is to create a folder that holds electronic documents for a month, this monthly folder is then embedded with weekly folders to save activities done for the week and the weekly folder has daily folders to save activities done for the day. Each folder will contain a set of specific documents, images or visuals saved with the name of the document or client’s name and date. This allows for easy referencing. The folder is then uploaded to the cloud or saved in a hard disk.
2. Receiving and Answering Calls
Imagine an organization where there is no procedure for answering and receiving calls, without initiative on the part of the handler of the device, it appears to anyone like a chit chat which from a distance can be observed by the person at the other end. A recommendation that provides flexibility is as follows
Good afternoon Sir/Ma,
I am XYZ, the customer centre head
How may I help you?
The outline here for calls is to accord the client or prospect with the level of respect regardless of their age and only call them by their name if they only ask to be called by their nomenclature. While all the information that is being requested by a customer may not be available at hand while the call is ongoing, it is important to let them know that you would return the call when you gathered further information, in order to prevent informing the customer wrongly and misrepresenting the organization.
3. Choosing a font style and size in every document
An organization has to be seen as one with whoever it is having business dealings with and one way to show uniformity is in the preparation of documents that are either for use within the organization or one to be sent out
Font Size: Georgia
Font size: 12
Line spacing: Double line spacing
4. Document format
Some documents are sent out in an editable format and because these can easily get exposed to viruses, might make the client go through the stress of getting to open the said file. A PDF (Portable Digital Format) document is what is recommended as it doesn’t lose its authenticity from whichever platform it is sent online.
These sets of operating procedures as simple as they are can save an organization from acting randomly and bring about cohesion and a sense of accountability in following such principles.
5. Procurement
For an organization to make procurements especially private organization, it is necessary that the store manager communicates a depletion in the specific item by sending a notification through the procurement officer to the manager, the manager then passes same to the accounts officer to verify the duration for the depletion of the item is as specified before requesting for a list of eligible vendors to generate an invoice for the items requested. Funds will be transferred to the vendor and upon confirmation by the vendor; the item is released with a receipt as evidence of payment. The procurement manager then upon delivery ascertains that the item requested is exactly what was purchased; he then sends it to the stock through the store keeper who enters this as a new stock.
An organization depending on the culture they intend to build can create procedures that work in order to ensure accuracy and avoid duplicity of procedures initiated without authorization from the management.
Emmanuel Otori has over 9 years of experience working with 100 start-ups and SMEs across Nigeria. He has worked on the Growth and Employment (GEM) Project of the World Bank, Consulted for businesses at the Abuja Enterprise Agency, Novustack, Splitspot and NITDA.
He is the Chief Executive Officer at Abuja Data School.
The Accountant General of the Federation, Shamsedeen Babatunde Ogunjimi who was appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu last week has assumed office on Monday.
In a brief ceremony marking his assumption at the Treasury Office in Abuja, he promised to be fair to staff of the office which he said, they would not be intimidated or victimized during his tenure of office.
In his maiden address to the entire staff of the Office of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, he called for unity, professionalism and commitment in order to achieve the objectives of the office.
He recalled how he suffered victimisaton in hands of previous Chief Executives where he worked, he promised that it would not be the case as he was elevated as the Accountant General of the Federation.
He said: “It is good to be back, this is our home, nobody will drive us out. I want everybody to have the spirit of togetherness.
“I am not in any group, I am not going to polarize the house.
“If I fail, everyone here has failed. I am ready to commit myself to the service of the public.”
The Accountant General called on staff to let the past go and forge a new spirit in order to move the office forward for the good of the nation and the current administration.
“During my interview for this job, when I was asked what I would do differently to change the image of the Treasury House, I wanted to put the question back to you.
“What will you do differently to correct the image of the OAGF? The question is to all staff members.
“Everyone of us must work to change the perception of the country’s treasury.
“I have been a victim of the chief executive officer firing directors he or she doesn’t like.
He assured the staff of the Treasury House of cooperation they haven’t seen in their lifetime professional career, saying, ‘I don’t like him. Please remove him’, I am not going to be that leader,” he said.
CAPITAL POST recalled that President Bola Tinubu last week approved the appointment of had last week approved the appointment of Mr Babatunde Ogunjimi as the country’s new Accountant General thereby putting to rest the guesswork of who should be the next occupier of the Treasury House.
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has announced plans to launch a nationwide sensitization campaign to promote the adoption of Made-in-Nigeria products, highlighting the transformative impact of locally engineered innovations on the nation’s economy.
As part of the initiative, the agency is organizing strategic focus group meetings across the six geopolitical zones of the country to galvanize support for indigenous products.
Speaking at the North Central zonal meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, the Coordinator, Implementation and Management Office (IMO) of NASENI, Yusuf Kasheem, emphasized the importance of supporting local products to drive economic growth.
“When Nigerians embrace the initiative, we do more than purchase goods—we invest in our future. We create jobs, stimulate economic growth, and reduce our reliance on imported alternatives,” Kasheem said.
He further highlighted that the widespread adoption of locally made products is a step toward a stronger, more self-sufficient Nigeria.
Kasheem reiterated NASENI’s dedication to leveraging technology and innovation to boost national prosperity.
“In just over a year, through strategic partnerships both locally and internationally, NASENI has introduced 35 commercially viable Made-in-Nigeria products. These innovations span critical sectors and reflect our commitment to excellence and self-reliance, he said”
Among the highlighted products are Solar Irrigation Systems, Home Solar Systems, Lithium Batteries, Electric Vehicles, Laptops, Smartphones, Animal Feed Mill Machines, and Energy-Efficient Street Lamps—each designed to improve various aspects of the economy and daily life.
In her remarks, the Executive Director of Business Development at NEXIM Bank, Hon. Stella Okotete, described the promotion of Made-in-Nigeria products as a national imperative.
“By increasing the quality, branding, and competitiveness of our products, we enhance our foreign exchange earnings, create jobs, and strengthen the value chain across key sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, solid minerals, and services,” Okotete stated.
To support the initiative, Okotete disclosed that NEXIM Bank had introduced targeted interventions such as single-digit interest loans for export manufacturing and value addition, along with export credit facilities to improve financing access for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
The campaign aims to foster a culture of pride and reliance on locally made products, positioning Nigeria as a hub for technological innovation and economic self-sufficiency.
A total sum of N1.703 trillion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) was shared among the Federal, States and Local Government Councils as the January 2025 Federation Account Revenue.
This was disclosed at the FAAC meeting held in Abuja on Friday.
The N1.703 trillion total distributable revenue comprised distributable statutory revenue of N749.727 billion, distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N718.781 billion, Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) revenue of N20.548 billion and Augmentation of N214 billion.
A communiqué issued by FAAC stated that total gross revenue of N2.641 trillion was available in the month of January 2025.
The total deduction for the cost of collection was N107.786 billion, while total transfers, interventions, refunds, and savings were N830.663 billion.
According to the communiqué, gross statutory revenue of N1.848 trillion was received for the month of January 2025. This was higher than the sum of N1.226 trillion received in the month of December 2024 by N622.125 billion.
Gross revenue of N771.886 billion was available from VAT in January 2025. This was higher than the N649.561 billion available in the month of December 2024 by N122.325 billion.
The communiqué stated that from the N1.703 trillion total distributable revenue, the federal government received a total sum of N552.591 billion, and the State Governments received a total sum of N590.614 billion.
The Local Government Councils received a total sum of N434.567 billion, and a total sum of N125.284 billion (13% of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting States as derivation revenue.
On the N749.727 billion distributable statutory revenue, the communiqué stated that the Federal Government received N343.612 billion, and the State Governments received N174.285 billion.
The Local Government Councils received N134.366 billion, and the sum of N97.464 billion (13% of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting States as derivation revenue.
From the N718.781 billion distributable VAT revenue, the Federal Government received N107.817 billion, the State Governments received N359.391 billion, and the Local Government Councils received N251.573 billion.
A total sum of N3.082 billion was received by the federal government from the N20.548 billion Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL). The State Governments received N7.192 billion, and the Local Government Councils received N10.274 billion.
From the N214 billion Augmentation, the Federal Government received N98.080 billion, and the State Governments received N49.747 billion.
The Local Government Councils received N38.353 billion, and a total sum of N27.820 billion (13% of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting States as derivation revenue.
In January 2025, VAT, Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT), Companies Income Tax (CIT), Excise Duty, Import Duty and CET Levies increased significantly while Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) and Oil and Gas Royalty decreased considerably.
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