Abuja: The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has called for stronger participation of civil society organisations (CSOs) in monitoring Nigeria’s public procurement system to ensure value for public expenditure. The Director-General of the BPP, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, made the call in a statement by Ngozi Anyaelezu, Assistant Chief Information Officer, during the inaugural forum of the Advocate for the Promotion of Transparent Procurement Initiative (APTPI).
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Adedokun urged CSOs to act as independent observers by monitoring procurement processes, documenting their findings, and submitting credible observations to appropriate authorities. He emphasized that procurement should serve as a tool for delivering Nigeria’s broader economic and social development objectives rather than just an administrative procedure.
Adedokun stated that an effective procurement system promotes value for money, competition, and sustainable development, which in turn improves citizens’ confidence in the government. He identified effective procurement planning as essential to reducing waste and improving public expenditure outcomes, highlighting key components such as proper record-keeping, market surveys, cost benchmarking, and contract monitoring.
He also mentioned that government institutions would increasingly need to demonstrate the effectiveness of previous budget implementations before new projects are admitted into the budget process. This approach aims to strengthen the link between budget allocation, procurement decisions, and the actual results delivered to citizens.
Adedokun pointed out that the bureau’s price intelligence mechanisms are vital tools for controlling procurement costs. He noted that procurement reforms had saved about N1.1 trillion in the first 11 months of 2025 through improved processes, benchmarking, and stronger controls.
The reforms listed by Adedokun include the digitalisation of procurement processes, wider publication of procurement opportunities and contract awards, professionalisation of procurement personnel, and development of standard bidding documents. He emphasized the need for Nigeria’s procurement system to move towards greater openness and competition, stating that selective tendering should no longer be the norm.
Adedokun concluded by noting that strengthening procurement integrity is a collective responsibility involving procuring entities, contractors, consultants, and procurement professionals.
Earlier in the forum, the Secretary of the APTPI Board, Mr. Ayorinde Dola-Johnson, stated that the organisation would focus on evidence-driven monitoring, access to procurement information, and constructive engagement with public institutions. He assured that APTPI’s approach would remain non-partisan and professionally independent, with its success measured by the procurement challenges it helps prevent, the reforms it advances, and the improvements it contributes to in the value Nigerians derive from public spending.