Abuja: Dr Adebowale Adedokun, Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), has urged the South-South Development Commission (SSDC) to strictly comply with the Public Procurement Act, 2007. This call to action was made in a statement issued by Zira Nagga, BPP’s Head of Media and Public Relations, in Abuja on Monday.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Adedokun delivered this message while giving a virtual lecture at a two-day induction programme for SSDC Board and Senior Management members. The programme was organised by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) and the SSDC. During his lecture on ‘Essentials of the Public Procurement’, Adedokun emphasized that procurement is a strategic instrument for national development rather than merely a purchasing function. He described public procurement as a bridge between budget approval and service delivery, and a powerful tool for governance, economic growth, and prudent management of public resources.
The director-general urged the commission to adhere to principles of fairness, transparency, accountability, open competition, and value for money in all procurement processes. He warned against common procurement violations, such as defective bidding processes, manipulation of bid evaluations, and misuse of emergency procurement provisions. Adedokun highlighted that the bureau recorded savings of about N1.1 trillion from procurement processes in 2025 and prevented potential losses to the Federal Government through compliance monitoring mechanisms.
Adedokun stressed that procurement activities should only commence after an approved procurement plan is in place, noting that initiating procurement without a plan is a criminal offence. He outlined the necessary steps for procurement plans, which include coordination by the Procurement Department and review by the Procurement Planning Committee, approval by the Tenders Board, and forwarding to the BPP through the Nigeria Open Contracting Portal (NOCOPO).
He also discussed recent amendments under the Finance Act, which require written confirmation by the political head for tenders board decisions and introduced new provisions on mobilisation fees and competitive bidding. Adedokun emphasized that procurement responsibilities should be handled by trained and certified professionals and that contractors must meet all statutory requirements before participating in government procurement.
The BPP chief outlined the procurement cycle, from needs assessment to post-procurement audit, and stressed that engineering designs and specifications must be prepared by qualified professionals. He also highlighted the roles of critical stakeholders, including board chairmen and members, accounting officers, tenders boards, and enforcement agencies. Adedokun cautioned against compromising procurement regulations due to personal relationships or political pressure, warning that public officers could be held personally liable for unlawful decisions.
Finally, Adedokun urged the commission to leverage public procurement as a strategic tool for driving sustainable development in the South-South region through investments in infrastructure, education, tourism, energy, and other critical sectors.