Transforming Nigeria’s procurement system: Adedokun’s one-year achievements, By Johnson Momodu

In a country where the distance between ambition and achievement is often measured in squandered resources, the stewardship of public funds becomes a sacred national duty. One year after Dr. Adebowale Abraham Adedokun assumed office as Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, the impactful revolution inside Nigeria’s procurement ecosystem has become impossible to ignore. His tenure offers a strong reminder that nation-building is not always the work of grand gestures. More often, it is the patient discipline of ensuring that every public naira serves the people rather than disappearing into private pockets.

The arrival of Dr. Adedokun at the helm in November 2024 signalled that the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration would not be built on airy proclamations but on institutional reform. A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply and a Certified Fraud Examiner, he came equipped with both credentials and institutional memory, having spent nearly two decades inside the engine room of procurement. As he put it, “You cannot reform a system you do not understand.”

His vision was clear. The Bureau of Public Procurement must evolve from an obstructive gatekeeper into a national growth partner. Procurement must become the backbone of development, ensuring that every public contract delivers value that citizens can see and feel. In his words, “Procurement should not slow Nigeria down. It should speed Nigeria forward.”

The results are measurable. Over 12 months, rigorous verification, digital certification, and forensic scrutiny helped Nigeria save an estimated 1.9 trillion naira (₦1.9 trillion) in prevented waste, fraudulent costings, and halted contract inflation. Dr Adedokun has been forthright about this achievement. These savings are not abstract. They are classrooms, clinics, and infrastructure that would have been lost.

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Digital transformation has strengthened Dr Adedokun’s work. During this first year in office, the Nigeria Open Contracting Portal, NOCOPO, evolved into a real-time transparency dashboard. Its automated price intelligence engine detected inflated bids and protected the treasury, yielding an additional 173 billion naira (₦173 billion) in verified savings in the first half of 2025. With contract data now accessible to journalists, civil society, and ordinary Nigerians, procurement has become a civic process.

The digitisation of procurement processes has further reduced manual interference. Processes that once took months are now completed far faster, with some categories witnessing a 300 per cent increase in speed. This was supported by the revision of procurement thresholds, empowering ministries, departments, and agencies to approve many categories of contracts internally while restricting the Federal Executive Council to only the most complex projects.

Under the new rules, only contracts valued at ₦5 billion and above for goods and consultancy services and ₦10 billion and above for works require Federal Executive Council approval. International or national competitive bidding is now mandatory for goods valued at ₦1 billion and above and works valued at ₦5 billion and above. Requests for quotations are permitted for goods and non consultant services valued below ₦30 million and works valued below ₦50 million. The threshold for pre qualification has been set at ₦500 million and above for goods and non consultant services and ₦1 billion and above for works.

Strengthening human capacity has been equally important. Through the National Procurement Certification Programme under the World Bank-supported SPESSE project, more than 8 000 procurement officers across the federation have undergone training and certification. This is backed by the National Procurement Officers Management System, which links each officer’s decisions to a traceable record. According to the DG, “You cannot have a strong procurement system with weak officers.”

The BPP’s enforcement record further reassures Nigerians that the system has teeth. Collaboration with the EFCC and ICPC has strengthened investigations. A total of 43 contractors were debarred in the past year for fraudulent or unethical behaviour, and several inflated or improperly awarded contracts were cancelled with funds recovered. As Dr. Adedokun notes, “Enforcement is not a witch hunt. It is the honest referee that keeps the game fair.”

This culture of accountability is matched by a commitment to economic nationalism. The Nigeria First policy now guides major procurement decisions, ensuring that local manufacturers, innovators, and service providers are prioritised. A strategic partnership with the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, NASENI, has opened pathways for government institutions to procure technology and engineering products made in Nigeria. As he said, “When we buy Nigerian, we strengthen Nigeria.”

The DG’s leadership has widened inclusion. Community based procurement guidelines and affirmative procurement frameworks have expanded opportunities for women owned businesses, small enterprises, and local contractors. Government spending now spreads more evenly and builds the social fabric needed for national cohesion.

Engagement has been a hallmark of the year. Dr Adedokun opened the Bureau’s doors to professional bodies, regulators, civil society, and key public institutions. His willingness to defend Nigeria’s procurement reforms against external mischaracterisation demonstrates a leadership rooted in facts. In his view, “Nigeria must tell its own story.”

This blend of diplomacy and technical competence has elevated procurement from an obscure administrative function to a cornerstone of national development. Roads move faster from design to construction. Health projects encounter fewer delays. Power sector contracts are vetted with closer scrutiny. Citizens increasingly see procurement as part of their democratic life.

Yet the story is still unfolding. Entrenched interests will resist change, and capacity gaps remain. But the foundations are stronger than at any point in recent memory. Systems are more open. Officers are more capable. Processes are faster. Contractors are more cautious. Citizens are more informed.

One year on, Dr Adebowale Adedokun has shown that the stewardship of the public purse can be both technical and transformative. As he often reminds his team, “History is not written only in big moments. It is written in everyday discipline.”

Looking ahead, this anniversary is not simply a celebration of one man’s achievements and his remarkable vision. It is a reminder that when institutions function with clarity, integrity, and purpose, great achievements are within reach. The Bureau of Public Procurement is now helping to rebuild the invisible scaffolding of governance and thereby inspiring renewed belief that with meticulous stewardship of the public purse, the ongoing reforms in public procurement being overseen by Dr Adedokun will continue to build not just durable infrastructure, but a brighter future for generations to come.

■ Johnson Momodu is a public affairs analyst based in Benin.