By Okeoghene Akubuike

Dr Adebowale Adedokun, Director-General (D-G), Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), says plans are underway to begin issuing practice licenses for individuals conducting procurement training.

Adedokun said this in a statement issued by Zira Nagga, Head of Public Relations, BPP, in Abuja on Tuesday.

He spoke at the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) National Workshop in Enugu.

The theme of the workshop was: “Standardising Procurement Excellence: Enhancing Transparency and Efficiency through the Nigerian Bureau of Public Procurement’s Standard Bidding Documents (SBDs).

The D-G said that the license would help eliminate quacks and foster the development of a new generation of highly trained procurement professionals.

He stressed the need for NIQS members to update their knowledge to align with current realities, adding that Nigeria has no choice but to adopt technology in managing its procurement processes.

“The Public Procurement Act, 2007 provides that the BPP sets standards, harmonise existing policies and guidelines, frameworks and professional capability,” he said.

Adedokun said that the BPP was working closely with the Federal Ministry of Justice to establish a debarment procedure in checkmating violators, including details on the sanctions for offenders.

He called on NIQS members to collaborate with BPP in carrying out procurement audits, as they have offices in all 36 states.

“In line with Mr President’s Renewed Hope Agenda for Procurement Reform, under the Nigeria First Policy,  those who design should not supervise and vice versa.

“This is in support of the local content policy and gives equal opportunities,” he said.

The D-G said that the newly revised SBDs were not static, but rather a live document that would continually be updated in line with new challenges, global trends and the unique circumstances of Nigeria.

He said that the use of SBDs was a legal obligation as stipulated by the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007 and not a matter of discretion.

“Standard Bidding Documents are not just templates, they are tools of fairness, instruments of efficiency, and gateways to transparency.

“They eliminate ambiguity, reduce manipulation and foster a level playing field,” he said.

He tied the procurement reform to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola  Tinubu, stressing that the reform must translate into real, measurable benefits for all Nigerians.

He announced the rollout of 17 newly revised SBDs, customised to cover a wide range of procurement categories, from goods and consultancy services to complex infrastructure and defence acquisitions.

Adedokun said that among the major reforms introduced under his leadership were the upgrade of the Nigerian Open Contracting Portal (NOCOPO).

“The upgrade of NOCOPO has already saved the nation over N173 billion in six months through enhanced price intelligence and transparency.

“There is also the implementation of E-Procurement Systems designed to reduce human interference and enhance traceability of transactions,” he said.

He listed other notable achievements to include raised approval thresholds resulting in up to 300 per cent, reduction in processing time for selected procurement categories, and strategic partnerships.

He said that the partnerships had helped to enhance engagement with global development institutions such as the World Bank, UNDP and African Development Bank (AfDB) to build procurement capacity and to combat corruption.

Adedokun called on quantity surveyors to serve as vanguards of transparency and champions of value-for-money, urging them to adopt, promote and enforce the use of SBDs across both public and private sector projects.

He shared upcoming initiatives, like affirmative procurement policies for SMEs and marginalised groups, community-based procurement models to boost local content and participation, and revival of the National Conference on Public Procurement as a critical policy dialogue platform.

“With your continued partnership, we will redefine procurement, not as a bureaucratic bottleneck, but as a bold, strategic instrument of national transformation,” he said.

He underscored the need to shift from outputs to outcomes in delivering dividends of democracy to the people of Nigeria, adding that procurement is a multi-disciplinary profession that requires the cooperation of all professional bodies.

He assured the institute that BPP would provide the enabling environment for a sense of belonging to all.

The workshop attracted leading procurement professionals, academics, policymakers, and development stakeholders, united in the mission to drive procurement excellence and governance reforms across Nigeria. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman