The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) was tasked with addressing a critical gap in the oversight and management of Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) across Nigeria. This gap was largely due to the lack of dedicated personnel to oversee the financial operations of PHCs, which are essential to ensuring the proper use of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) and improving the overall financial performance of healthcare facilities. With over 9,000 PHCs in need of oversight, NPHCDA needed to recruit 774 Performance/Financial Management Officers (PFMOs) across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to manage financial reporting and performance at the Local Government Area (LGA) level.
The challenge lay in designing a recruitment strategy that could efficiently manage such a large-scale, nationwide recruitment while ensuring transparency and the selection of qualified candidates.
Product Design & Development:
Given the geographic spread of 36 states plus the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the recruitment process needed to be both efficient and scalable to ensure that the right candidates were selected. However, the manual recruitment processes were time-consuming, inconsistent, and prone to errors.
These challenges highlighted the need for a more streamlined, automated, and transparent system to facilitate the recruitment of 774 PFMOs across all Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Nigeria.
Action:
To address these challenges, Sydani Group, as the Prime Recipient, was contracted to design and develop a Human Resources Management Software (HRMS) focused on an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) tailored specifically for the NPHCDA. The goal of the ATS was to ensure a transparent, efficient, and automated recruitment process for PFMOs. The system was designed with key features aimed at optimizing each phase of the recruitment process:
• Electronic Application Submission: The system enabled online application submission, making the process accessible to candidates nationwide and broadening the applicant pool.
• Automated CV Review: AI and machine learning algorithms were integrated into the ATS to automatically screen and shortlist candidates based on predefined selection criteria. This reduced manual workload and minimized human errors.
• Computer-Based Testing (CBT): An adaptive testing feature was included in the system to assess candidates’ competencies through personalized exams, ensuring that the most qualified candidates were selected for interviews.
• Interview Module with Real-Time Analytics: The ATS featured an integrated interview module that provided real-time insights into candidate performance during interviews, aiding the decision-making process.
• End-to-End Process Automation: From application submission through to final shortlisting, the ATS automated the entire recruitment process, ensuring a more efficient and transparent system.
Stakeholder engagement was central to the design of the ATS, ensuring that the system met the specific operational needs of the NPHCDA while aligning with its strategic goals for improving PHC financial management.
Result:
The PFMO HR Management Software, developed between January 2023 and April 2023, was successfully implemented across all 36+1 states. Key outcomes included:
• Streamlined Application Process: The electronic submission feature increased the inclusivity and accessibility of the application process, expanding the talent pool.
• Efficient Candidate Shortlisting: The AI-driven CV review significantly reduced the time required for manual screening and ensured that only the most qualified candidates were shortlisted.
• Improved Candidate Assessment: The computer-based testing module provided a more personalized and effective method for evaluating candidate competencies.
• Real-Time Feedback: The interview module’s real-time analytics accelerated the decision-making process by providing immediate insights into candidate performance during interviews.
Overall, the system revolutionized NPHCDA’s recruitment process by introducing advanced technologies such as AI-powered CV review and adaptive testing, setting a new standard for recruitment operations within the agency. The successful deployment of this ATS ensured a more efficient recruitment process and ultimately strengthened the PHC financial management workforce across Nigeria.
Strategy Design & Implementation:
Sydani Group was engaged to design a comprehensive recruitment strategy tailored to the specific needs of the NPHCDA. The strategy focused on creating a streamlined, efficient, and transparent process to recruit 774 PFMOs. The key elements of the strategy design and implementation were:
• Needs Assessment: Conducted a thorough needs assessment to understand the unique challenges of recruiting for such a geographically dispersed workforce and the operational requirements of PHCs at the LGA level.
• Decentralized Approach: Given the vast geographic spread, the recruitment strategy was decentralized to ensure that each state and LGA could attract local talent while maintaining national oversight. This allowed for better alignment with local contexts and operational needs at the state and LGA levels.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Sydani actively engaged key stakeholders, including the NPHCDA, state health officials, and financial management experts, to design a recruitment process that aligned with the strategic goals of the PHC system. This collaborative approach ensured that the strategy was practical and could be seamlessly integrated into the existing operational framework.
• Performance Metrics: Clear performance metrics were established to evaluate candidates at every stage of the recruitment process. These metrics were used to inform shortlisting, testing, and interview stages, ensuring that only the most qualified candidates advanced.
• Applicant Tracking System (ATS) Integration: A critical component of the strategy was the development and deployment of an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), which automated the recruitment process and ensured transparency and accountability at every stage—from application to final selection. The ATS was a key tool in reducing manual errors, preventing delays, and ensuring a data-driven decision-making process.
• Capacity Building: To ensure the successful implementation of the recruitment strategy, Sydani provided training to NPHCDA staff on how to use the ATS, manage the recruitment process, and monitor performance at the LGA level.
Result:
The recruitment strategy designed and implemented by Sydani resulted in several key outcomes:
• Efficient Recruitment Process: The strategy ensured the efficient recruitment of 663 out of 774 PFMOs across Nigeria within the project timeline. By leveraging the ATS and decentralizing the recruitment process, the strategy ensured that each state and LGA could select candidates that were best suited to their specific needs.
• Increased Transparency and Accountability: The use of the ATS and performance metrics introduced a level of transparency and accountability that was previously lacking in large-scale recruitment processes. This led to improved stakeholder confidence and reduced the risk of mismanagement or bias in candidate selection.
• Improved Operational Efficiency: The strategy successfully addressed NPHCDA’s operational challenges by ensuring that each LGA had a dedicated PFMO to oversee financial operations. This has contributed to improved financial management and performance at PHCs across the country.
• Scalability: The recruitment strategy was designed to be scalable, meaning that it can be adapted for future recruitment exercises within NPHCDA or other health-related agencies requiring large-scale talent acquisition efforts.
Through a carefully crafted strategy that combined stakeholder engagement, decentralized operations, performance-based metrics, and technology-driven processes, Sydani enabled NPHCDA to meet its recruitment goals efficiently and effectively, positioning the agency to better manage PHC financial performance nationwide.
