By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA- THE Centre for Public Accountability, CPA, Saturday, commended the Adedokun-led Bureau off Public Procurement, BPP, reforms, after a critical assessment of the agency.

CPA made the commendation while presenting its findings tagged ‘Independent Service Delivery Assessment Report’ on selected government institutions at a press conference in Abuja, describing the agency as one of the leading examples of institutional transformation and public sector innovation in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director, CPA, Comrade Olufemi Lawson, said the Bureau, under the leadership of its Director-General, Dr Adebowale Adedokun, in line with global best practices has demonstrated exceptional commitment to repositioning Nigeria’s public procurement system.

According to Lawson, the assessment, which involved months of stakeholder engagements, policy reviews, institutional observations and analysis of measurable outcomes, noted that the BPP had embarked on some of the most ambitious procurement reforms since the enactment of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

He said: “Public procurement remains one of the most critical components of governance globally. It is through procurement that governments execute projects, deliver infrastructure, provide social services and stimulate economic growth. Historically, procurement administration in Nigeria has faced challenges ranging from inflated contracts and abuse of due process to weak oversight mechanisms, contractor fraud and institutional inefficiencies. 

“Against this backdrop, our organisation undertook a rigorous and independent assessment of the Bureau of Public Procurement with emphasis on institutional reforms, operational efficiency, policy innovation, digital transformation, transparency mechanisms and contributions to national development objectives. We are pleased to report that the Bureau under the current leadership has demonstrated significant commitment towards repositioning Nigeria’s procurement ecosystem.”

The CPA report also highlighted the Bureau’s successful revision of procurement thresholds and operational guidelines, noting that the reforms have reduced bureaucratic bottlenecks, accelerated procurement timelines and improved administrative efficiency across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

CPA’s boss also explained that the revised procurement framework has brought greater clarity to approval processes and significantly reduced delays that previously hindered the implementation of government projects.

Meanwhile, he said the report also acknowledged the introduction of revised Standard Bidding Documents across MDAs, describing the initiative as a major step towards improving transparency, procedural uniformity and fairness in public procurement.

“The deployment of clear and standardised bidding templates has enhanced competition among contractors, strengthened accountability and reduced opportunities for manipulation and abuse within the procurement process”, he said.

Speaking on the Bureau’s Nigeria First Policy Framework, he (Lawson) said the initiative represents a strategic intervention aimed at promoting local content development, supporting indigenous businesses and stimulating economic growth.

“We commend the Bureau for developing a procurement framework that prioritises local manufacturers, Small and Medium Enterprises, women-owned businesses and indigenous service providers. This policy aligns with Nigeria’s economic diversification objectives and possesses immense potential for industrial growth, job creation and economic inclusion”, he noted.

The CPA further identified the establishment of the National Debarment Policy as one of the most significant reforms introduced by the Bureau.

“For the first time in Nigeria’s procurement history, there now exists an enforceable sanctions regime designed to address the activities of non-performing, fraudulent and unethical contractors. We consider this reform a major deterrent against procurement fraud and a significant step towards safeguarding public resources”, he added.

The report also praised the restoration of the administrative mobility function of procurement officers to the Bureau, noting that the move has strengthened professionalism, enhanced institutional independence and improved compliance within government establishments.

On contract administration, CPA commended the introduction of a policy requiring all contract variations to receive Bureau approval before implementation.

“This reform addresses one of the longstanding loopholes in public procurement where arbitrary and inflated contract variations often resulted in massive cost escalations on government projects. It is a critical accountability mechanism that will strengthen fiscal discipline and project management”, he stated.

The organisation equally applauded the Bureau’s digital transformation initiatives, particularly the migration to electronic submission processes.

“Procurement submissions to the Bureau are now conducted electronically. This has reduced physical bottlenecks, minimised human interference, curtailed opportunities for corruption and significantly improved efficiency, transparency and service delivery. This reform aligns Nigeria’s procurement administration with modern international standards”, he said.

One of the most impactful reforms identified by the assessment was the establishment of the Price Intelligence Unit and digital benchmarking framework.

According to Lawson, the initiative has reportedly generated savings exceeding ₦1.1 trillion through real-time benchmarking and the elimination of inflated quotations.

“We consider the Price Intelligence and Benchmarking System one of the strongest anti-corruption mechanisms introduced within Nigeria’s public procurement framework in recent years. Its capacity to reduce leakages and protect public funds cannot be overstated”, he remarked.

The CPA also commended the establishment of a comprehensive classification and database system for contractors, consultants and service providers, describing it as a major step towards strengthening transparency, due diligence and procurement integrity nationwide.

On capacity building, Lawson disclosed that the Bureau has made substantial investments in professionalising procurement practice across the public service.

“We note with satisfaction that over 4,000 procurement officers have participated in structured capacity-building programmes, while more than 2,700 officers have been certified under the National Procurement Certification Programme. This achievement represents a significant milestone in strengthening procurement competence and professionalism within the Nigerian public sector”, he said.

The report further recognised the deployment of the National Procurement Officers Management System (NAPOMS), ongoing affirmative procurement initiatives for women, youths and persons with disabilities, as well as the development of sector-specific procurement frameworks covering Information Technology, Roads, Health and Food Procurement.

He particularly praised the proposed Food Procurement Framework for schools, hospitals and Internally Displaced Persons camps, noting that it would enhance accountability, improve quality assurance and reduce leakages in food procurement processes.

The CPA also applauded the Bureau’s participation in the Methodology for Assessing Procurement Systems (MAPS), describing it as evidence of openness to international benchmarking and continuous institutional improvement.