●Adebowale unveils NAPOMS, e-GP system at APPON conference, warns unqualified staff members must exit
Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, Dr. Adedokun Adebowale, has urged procurement officers to embrace Artificial Intelligence, AI, big data and blockchain to drive efficiency and accountability in public spending.
Adebowale made the call Wednesday in Enugu at the 6th National Conference of the Association of Public Procurement Practitioners of Nigeria, APPON.
Speaking on the future of the profession, the BPP boss said technological innovation is rapidly transforming governance and business processes globally.
“The future of procurement lies in Artificial Intelligence, big data and blockchain technologies. The question is, are you prepared for that tomorrow?” he asked participants.
He challenged procurement officers to enrol in courses that strengthen digital capacity, stressing that professional competence, leadership and continuous learning are critical to sustaining procurement reforms.
Adebowale disclosed that BPP is advancing the National Procurement Officers Management System, NAPOMS, which he described as a foundational platform for procurement officers at federal and state levels. He said the system will enhance visibility, strengthen institutional protection and improve procurement management across government establishments.
He also announced plans to launch an Electronic Government Procurement, e-GP, system to promote transparency, efficiency and accountability in public procurement processes.
The DG reminded public officers of their duty to publish all contract information on relevant government platforms, warning that failure to comply constitutes a violation of procurement regulations.
He called on practitioners to uphold fairness, openness and due process, and lamented the presence of unqualified personnel in procurement units. “Only academically and professionally qualified officers should be allowed to continue working in procurement units,” he said.
Adebowale encouraged short-term training to meet evolving demands and highlighted government efforts on inclusiveness. He noted that at least 7% of public contracts are reserved for small and medium enterprises, women-owned businesses, youth-owned enterprises and persons with disabilities.
