By Henry Obetta
The Federal Government has warned that individuals involved in procurement fraud will face sanctions and prosecution, as the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) reopened the Permanent Secretaries’ Retreat after a four-year break.
The retreat, themed “Strengthening Procurement Leadership and Accountability for Effective Budget Execution and National Development,” began on Thursday, July 9, at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, and ended on Sunday, July 12.
Speaking at the event, Director-General of the BPP, Dr Adebowale A. Adedokun, described public procurement as a critical instrument of governance and the link between budget approval and service delivery.
Adedokun, in a statement by the Head of Press and Public Relations of the BPP, Zira Zakka Nagga, said the Bureau had initiated 23 reform programmes aimed at modernising Nigeria’s procurement system.
The reforms include the proposed amendment of the Public Procurement Act, 2007, development of a National Procurement Strategy Framework, revised procurement thresholds, contractor classification, community-based procurement and the full implementation of Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP).
He disclosed that the Bureau helped the Federal Government save about N1.1 trillion in 2025 through improved price intelligence and budget evaluation, with weekly savings averaging N8 billion since January 2026.
“Roads are constructed through procurement. Hospitals are equipped through procurement. Schools are built through procurement. Therefore, the quality of procurement determines the quality of governance,” he said.
The BPP boss stressed that Permanent Secretaries, as Accounting Officers, had a responsibility to ensure compliance with procurement laws.
He said the Bureau had introduced administrative sanctions for erring procurement officers and a Debarment Policy to blacklist contractors who violate due process.
Adedokun urged Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to comply with budget implementation guidelines and publish contract awards on their websites and the BPP portal.
He also said Nigeria’s procurement reforms had attracted international recognition, citing the Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement Project (SPESSE), which established specialised undergraduate degree programmes in Sustainable Procurement in six Nigerian universities.
Speaking at the retreat, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, said procurement remained central to effective governance.
“When procurement works well, government delivers. When procurement is delayed, weak or poorly managed, citizens feel the consequences,” she said.
Walson-Jack urged Accounting Officers to prioritise due process, value for money and timely delivery of projects.
Representing President Bola Tinubu, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, said effective budget implementation depended on disciplined financial management and a procurement system that delivers value for money.
Akume, represented by Prof Bernard Babatunde, Senior Special Adviser to the SGF, commended the ongoing reforms at the BPP and assured that the Federal Government would ensure anyone found culpable of procurement fraud faces prosecution.
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of Vice President Kashim Shettima, Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof Tunji Olaopa, said procurement had evolved beyond administrative compliance into a tool for economic growth, industrial development and public trust.
“When procurement works, government delivers. When it fails, development suffers. The task before us is not just to comply with procedures but to strengthen procurement leadership,” he said.
The retreat also featured discussions on effective budget implementation, procurement planning, leadership, public sector performance and institutional coordination.
Highlights included the unveiling of the BPP song, “Value for Money Always,” a health session for public sector leaders and a courtesy visit to Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno.
Adedokun, in his closing remarks, said accountable procurement remained essential to ensuring that government budgets translated into meaningful development.
“A budget is a covenant with the people. But procurement leadership is how we keep the covenant. Countries are developed by spending rightly. Only an accountable procurement system can guarantee that,” he said.
