Abuja: Dr Adebowale Adedokun, Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), has urged procurement officers to stay abreast of ongoing procurement reforms to ensure efficiency, transparency, and accountability in public service delivery. Adedokun made the call at a meeting with procurement officers of the Directorate Cadre, Salary Grade Levels (SGL) 14 to 17 in the Pool of the Bureau in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Adedokun presented an overview of current trends in public procurement, identifying the key pillars of the reforms as efficiency, transparency, accountability, and innovation. He highlighted the implementation of the Revised Service-Wide Prior Review and Monetary Thresholds Guidelines, the Nigeria Procurement Certification Programme (NCPC), and the proposed amendment to the Public Procurement Act (PPA) as major components of the reforms. Additional reforms include the revision and deployment of an e-government procurement system, the development of the Nigeria First Policy, and the National Procurement Transformation Strategy.
Despite these initiatives, Adedokun noted that the desired impact has yet to be fully realized, with some officers failing to comply with approved guidelines. He pointed out challenges such as resistance to change, capacity gaps in MDAs, budgetary constraints, and delays in amending the PPA (2007). To address compliance issues, the bureau has increased procurement audit and surveillance activities.
Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, emphasized the strategic role of procurement officers in public service reforms, noting that their work directly affects project delivery and service quality. Represented by Dr Binyerem Ukaire, she urged officers to uphold professionalism and integrity while embracing continuous learning.
Dr Dasuki Arabi, Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms, encouraged leveraging technology to drive procurement reforms, noting that recent initiatives have resulted in significant savings and the professionalization of the workforce. He highlighted the success of the e-GP system and the training of over 2,100 World Bank-certified procurement officers.
Mr Abel Enitan, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, underscored the importance of BPP’s engagement with procurement officers to strengthen institutional capacity. Represented by Dr Folake David, he encouraged participants to share experiences and align with best practices.
The meeting included presentations on Debarment Procedure in Nigeria, Operationalising the Nigeria First Policy in Public Procurement, and Community-Based Procurement.