Kano: The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has unveiled a transformative strategy aimed at strengthening trust and transparency within Nigeria’s public procurement system. The Director-General of the agency, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, announced this during a stakeholders’ consultative meeting in Kano. The meeting aimed to discuss the Methodology for Assessing Procurement Systems (MAPS) framework and its role in enhancing public procurement processes in the country.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the participants included professional bodies, civil society organisations, development partners, contractors, consultants, and suppliers. Dr. Adedokun explained that the strategy emphasizes the transition of government agencies to submit procurement requests electronically, thereby enhancing traceability and minimizing opportunities for discrepancies. “By shifting to an electronic system, we can track discrepancies more effectively, whether they occur with contractors or government agencies,” Adedokun stated.
He also highlighted the need for refinements in the execution of Nigeria’s Public Procurement Act, which mirrors the framework set by the United Nations. “We have learned from past experiences, and now it’s time to amend the act to improve its impact and attract foreign investments,” he added.
The director-general outlined updates to the procurement framework aimed at providing greater representation for women, youth, and people with disabilities in the process. He emphasized the importance of the MAPS assessment as a tool for benchmarking Nigeria’s procurement system against international best practices. The BPP boss also highlighted key reforms designed to fortify the procurement process, ensure equal access to opportunities, and optimize value-for-money in government spending.
Dr. Adedokun mentioned that over the years, BPP has worked closely with the World Bank and other development partners to introduce pivotal initiatives, including the Country Procurement Assessment Report (CPAR) and the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) assessments. These efforts have laid the groundwork for Nigeria’s ongoing procurement reforms. He further encouraged active participation from the stakeholders, stressing that their feedback is essential in refining the national procurement strategy.
The federal lead of the FCDO-funded PACE, Dr. Umar Abu, noted that the programme has partnered with BPP to strengthen public procurement, focusing on digitization, transparency, and accountability. He stated that the collaboration aims to deploy the Methodology for Assessing Procurement Systems (MAPS) framework and support the development of a National Procurement Strategy. Abu emphasized that the partnership with BPP was a significant step towards aligning Nigeria’s procurement system with international best practices.
Earlier, the Kano Commissioner for Public Procurement and Project Monitoring, Nura Ma’aji, stated that Governor Abba Kabir has shown full support for due process in public procurement. Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Adamu Garba, he reiterated the government’s commitment to the procurement act and its zero-tolerance policy towards corruption.
Additionally, the president of the Nigeria Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), Alhaji Bashir Aminu, commended President Bola Tinubu for reviewing the public procurement threshold to enhance public service delivery efficiency in Nigeria’s evolving economic landscape. He also praised BPP for its innovative efforts in promoting transparency and accountability in the procurement process and the award of contracts. Aminu remarked that the meeting would significantly enlighten stakeholders in the country.