Born and bred in the coastal towns of Namibia

Born and bred in the coastal towns of NamibiaA firm believer in that you are never too old to stop learning Frieda Shikoyeni recently obtained her Namibian Institute of Professional Accountants (NIPA). She is appointed as a NIPA principal for the BDO Oshakati branch. Monique Adams

Shikoyeni was born in Walvis Bay and raised in Oranjemund. She attended the Oranjemund private school and completed her high school in Walvis Bay at Duneside.

After completing high school, she graduated with a BCom Accounting degree at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

“My first accounting job was at a firm in Swakopmund that allowed me to get experience in the accounting profession as a bookkeeper,” she said.

With her job title being a NIPA principal, she is responsible for training and guiding any new NIPA trainees at the northern branch as well as take up the responsibility of training her fellow colleagues in various areas of the industry.

Shikoyeni’s day-to-day work load varies but most of the time it consists of engaging with clients and assisting them with any accounting queries they might have with their businesses. It also involves liaising with the relevant authorities such as the ministry of finance on taxation matters.

“My biggest responsibility is to adhere to the accounting process from scratch, from source document to drafting annual financial statements and other various reports, as this information is useful to business owners for decision making,” she said.

Her passion to be educated and sharing her knowledge has prepared her for this new appointment. She has always been a person who strives to go through the process with her clients and colleagues and allow them to understand what value they can add to them as individuals and their entities.

One of her accomplishments will be obtaining her NIPA certification. Being a member of an institution which confirms their responsibility as a professional accountant to all relevant parties involved. The challenges include adapting to new technology and its constant changes but BDO’s IT department is always on top of the game, which makes the process easy to adapt.

Shikoyeni defines success by setting goals and meeting them, by maintaining a consistent level of productivity and taking both her success and failures in stride. With that being said, her future plans include providing financial education and guidance to those who need it the most.

“For young aspiring accountants, being an accountant requires you to obtain the necessary qualifications. Some of the most important qualities one should have includes being independent, dedicated, patient and passionate about the profession,” she said.