Nigeria could unlock trillions in savings and rebuild public trust — if procurement rules are followed strictly.
The Bureau of Public Procurement is pushing for stricter compliance and major reforms to transform government spending into real national development.
At a capacity-building event in Lagos, BPP Director-General Dr Adedokun Adebowale told procurement officers to lead by example, warning that ignoring rules weakens the system and erodes public trust. According to him, procurement is the biggest chunk of government spending — and every decision can either build confidence or destroy it.
He revealed that stronger oversight and price intelligence have already saved Nigeria about ₦1.1 trillion in just 11 months, compared to ₦2.2 trillion saved over the previous two decades.
Adebowale outlined seven pillars for a modern procurement system: transparency, integrity, competition, efficiency, digital transformation, professional capacity and accountability. He stressed that Nigeria must move away from paperwork-driven processes to innovation, e-procurement and measurable impact.
He also pushed localisation and inclusion, saying:
- Nigerian goods and services should be prioritised
- 30% of contracts will target women, youths and persons with disabilities
- Communities across all 774 LGAs should benefit directly
Also speaking, the DG of the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency, Fatai Onafowote, called for transparency, digital procurement and stronger support for SMEs to drive sustainable development.
Procurement isn’t paperwork — it’s nation building.
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