The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has unveiled tougher measures to tackle misconduct in public contracting, including plans to blacklist contractors found guilty of violating procurement regulations.
Director-General of the BPP, Adebowale Adedokun, announced the initiative on Thursday in Abuja during the inaugural Procurement Evolution Day, an event organised to commemorate 19 years of procurement reforms in Nigeria.
According to Adedokun, the bureau has introduced a debarment framework designed to impose sanctions on erring contractors and prevent them from participating in government procurement processes both within and outside the country.
He said the policy forms part of broader efforts to strengthen transparency, improve compliance with procurement laws and safeguard public funds from abuse.
“The government has approved a debarment policy that will ensure contractors who violate procurement rules are sanctioned accordingly, whether they operate locally or internationally,” he said.
The BPP chief disclosed that the bureau has recently been granted authority to investigate and address cases involving contract breaches and fraudulent claims, a move he described as a major milestone in procurement oversight.
He added that the bureau would work more closely with anti-corruption agencies, civil society organisations and professional bodies to improve enforcement and accountability across the procurement system.
As part of ongoing reforms, Adedokun said a mandatory 14-working-day standstill period has been introduced to allow procurement disputes to be resolved before contracts move into implementation.
He also announced new transparency requirements for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), which will now be expected to publish details of awarded contracts every month and submit quarterly implementation reports to the bureau.
The measures, he said, are intended to enhance public scrutiny and ensure that projects are executed according to approved contract terms.
Adedokun further revealed that the BPP is developing a National Procurement Transformation Strategy to guide reforms across all levels of government, including federal, state and local councils.
He noted that the bureau has significantly expanded the use of technology in procurement administration, replacing most paper-based submissions with digital processes aimed at reducing delays and limiting human interference.
According to him, more than 4,000 procurement professionals have been captured in a national database, enabling improved monitoring and professional regulation within the sector.
The BPP boss also highlighted the Federal Government’s Nigeria First policy, which seeks to prioritise local businesses in government procurement. He said the initiative is being extended to sectors such as automobile manufacturing, information technology, agriculture, textiles and renewable energy.
He added that policies have been introduced to create procurement opportunities for women-owned enterprises, startups, vulnerable groups and host communities, while specialised procurement frameworks are being developed for critical sectors including infrastructure, healthcare, education and ICT.
Adedokun stressed that procurement officers would now be subject to stricter oversight following the restoration of career management functions to the bureau, warning that officials who violate the Public Procurement Act would face sanctions.
He also disclosed that six Nigerian universities now offer undergraduate programmes focused on sustainable procurement and related disciplines as part of efforts to build professional capacity in the field.
In his remarks, former BPP Director-General Dr. Emeka Ezeh called for stronger enforcement of procurement regulations, improved contract management and more effective project monitoring.
Reviewing the evolution of procurement reforms in Nigeria, Ezeh noted that challenges such as contract manipulation, weak oversight and budget distortions remain concerns despite progress recorded over the years.
He warned that delays in settling contractors’ payments often lead to higher project costs, as contractors factor inflation and uncertainty into their pricing.
The former procurement chief urged greater cooperation among regulatory agencies, anti-corruption institutions and civil society groups to sustain reforms and promote value for money in public spending.
Earlier, the Centre for Public Accountability said procurement reforms championed by the BPP have helped the Federal Government save an estimated N1.1 trillion by reducing contract inflation and plugging leakages in the procurement process.