Abuja: The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has initiated discussions with the House of Representatives Committee on Public Procurement concerning the proposed review of the Public Procurement Act, 2007. A statement from Zira Nagga, BPP’s Head of Media and Public Relations, highlighted that these discussions took place during a strategic retreat in Abuja, involving members of the house committee.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the collaborative session emphasized the mutual dedication of both the BPP and the House Committee to implement reforms aimed at enhancing governance, promoting sustainable development, and building public trust in Nigeria’s procurement system. The retreat concluded with a commitment to ongoing engagements and technical consultations to ensure that the revised Act provides a robust legal framework for effective public procurement management in Nigeria.
Dr Adebowale Adedokun, Director-General of the BPP, addressed the retreat attendees, underscoring the importance of updating procurement laws to reflect current realities, thus fostering accountability and ensuring value for money in government expenditure. Adedokun noted that the review of the Procurement Act is expected to modernize procurement processes, address emerging challenges, strengthen oversight, and align Nigeria’s framework with international best practices.
Adedokun also pointed out the significant role of the BPP in maintaining transparency, accountability, and efficiency within Nigeria’s procurement processes. He commended the leadership of the House Committee on Public Procurement for its strategic oversight of the bureau’s activities and its contributions to strengthening the country’s public procurement system.
Rep. Idem Uyime, Chairman of the House Committee on Public Procurement, reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to collaborating with the bureau to deliver a modernized procurement law that will enhance institutional capacity and support sustainable development. Uyime confirmed that the committee would provide the necessary legislative support to ensure the successful passage of the revised legislation.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the Public Procurement Act, 2007, has undergone amendments through the Finance Acts of 2021 and 2023. These amendments expanded the Act’s scope to include government-owned enterprises, the National Assembly, and the Judiciary. Additionally, the amendments increased the mobilisation fee for contractors from 15 percent to 30 percent, reduced advertisement timelines for National Competitive Bidding (NCB) and International Competitive Bidding (ICB) to a maximum of four weeks and six weeks, respectively, and introduced bank guarantees of not less than 10 percent of contract values.