Abuja: The Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, has urged for improved collaboration between Nigeria’s Executive and Legislature to tackle project abandonment and enhance accountability in public projects.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Adedokun made this appeal during the 2026 National Assembly Open Week, themed ‘Three Years of the 10th National Assembly: Advancing Transparency, Inclusion and Reform.’ The event gathered lawmakers, heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), civil society organizations, and development partners to discuss governance challenges.
Adedokun emphasized that such collaboration would ensure value for money in public procurement, enabling Nigerians to fully benefit from public spending. He highlighted that procurement serves as a strategic tool for national development when effectively implemented. During a panel discussion on ‘Strengthening Legislative Oversight of Public Procurement for Value for Money,’ Adedokun str
essed the importance of using existing legislation to achieve tangible results in project delivery.
He identified several challenges affecting the successful implementation of public projects, including inadequate capacity, weak audit synergy, poor project planning, and misaligned budgeting. Adedokun also noted that frequent changes in the composition of the National Assembly necessitate continuous capacity building to ensure lawmakers understand procurement processes and their oversight roles.
The Director-General called for stronger synergy between relevant National Assembly committees and the BPP, emphasizing that procurement audit reports could bolster legislative oversight of contract awards and implementation. He expressed concern over discrepancies in the 2026 budget, pointing out that some projects classified as ongoing were not in progress, while others were assigned to MDAs lacking the technical competence to execute them.
Adedokun questioned the focus on federal-level projects, suggesting that a
ttention should be redirected towards local governments and states, which receive a significant portion of government allocations. He criticized the appropriation of funds for unplanned projects and underscored that the Public Procurement Act 2007 criminalizes contract awards without proper planning and approved procurement plans.
He urged civil society organizations to utilize legal provisions to monitor bid openings and demand accountability in project implementation. Adedokun also called for a review of the current funding approach for projects, noting that the existing system contributes to delays in project execution.
The BPP Director-General advocated for closer cooperation between the Executive and Legislature during the appropriation process to prevent procurement breaches and emphasized that MDAs should present performance reports before defending new budget proposals. He highlighted that the BPP is undertaking 23 major reforms aimed at improving public procurement and expressed confidence that par
liamentary support would reduce abandoned projects and restore public trust.
Addressing inquiries, Adedokun stated that the bureau had directed all MDAs to incorporate provisions for persons with disabilities in standard bidding documents and introduced sustainability requirements in procurement processes to promote job creation and economic growth.
The BPP’s participation in the open week aimed to showcase reforms in e-Procurement, sustainable procurement, price intelligence, and contractor registration. It also sought to sensitize lawmakers on compliance, gather stakeholder feedback on procurement challenges, and strengthen legislative support for amending the Public Procurement Act 2007.