The Federal Government has intensified efforts to strengthen accountability in public procurement, announcing plans to blacklist contractors found guilty of violating procurement regulations and engaging in fraudulent practices.
Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Adebowale Adedokun, disclosed the move on Thursday in Abuja during the inaugural Procurement Evolution Day, held to celebrate 19 years of procurement reforms in Nigeria.
Adedokun said the bureau had adopted a debarment policy that would prevent defaulting contractors from participating in government contracts, describing the measure as a key component of ongoing reforms aimed at improving transparency and protecting public resources.
According to him, the BPP has also secured approval to directly handle cases involving contract violations and fraudulent claims, expanding its powers to enforce compliance with procurement laws.
He noted that the bureau would work closely with anti-corruption agencies, professional associations and civil society organisations to ensure stricter monitoring of procurement activities across government institutions.
As part of the reforms, Adedokun announced the introduction of a 14-day standstill period for resolving procurement disputes before contracts are implemented, a measure expected to reduce litigation and project delays.
He also directed Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to begin publishing details of awarded contracts on their websites and on the BPP portal every month, while submitting quarterly reports on contract execution.
The BPP boss said the initiative would enable greater public scrutiny of government projects and improve accountability in the management of public funds.
He further disclosed that the bureau is developing a comprehensive procurement transformation strategy to drive reforms at the federal, state and local government levels.
Highlighting the agency’s digitalisation efforts, Adedokun said procurement processes have increasingly moved online, eliminating the need for hard-copy submissions and reducing opportunities for manipulation.
He revealed that more than 4,000 procurement officers have been registered in a central database to improve professional regulation and strengthen oversight of procurement activities nationwide.
The director-general also reiterated the government’s commitment to the Nigeria First policy, which prioritises indigenous businesses in public procurement. He said the initiative is being expanded to cover strategic sectors such as automobile manufacturing, agriculture, information technology, textiles and renewable energy.
In addition, he said the bureau has developed policies to increase the participation of women-owned enterprises, startups, vulnerable groups and local communities in government contracting opportunities.
Adedokun warned that procurement officers who fail to comply with provisions of the Public Procurement Act would face disciplinary measures, stressing that accountability mechanisms within the system had been strengthened.
He added that efforts to professionalise procurement practice were yielding results, with six universities currently offering degree programmes in sustainable procurement and related fields.
Speaking at the event, former BPP Director-General Dr. Emeka Ezeh said Nigeria must sustain procurement reforms by strengthening contract administration, improving project monitoring and ensuring strict enforcement of sanctions against offenders.
Ezeh observed that many of the challenges that prompted procurement reforms years ago—including contract inflation, poor supervision and budget implementation gaps—still persist and require continuous attention.
He also cautioned that delays in paying contractors often result in higher project costs, as firms adjust contract prices to account for inflation and payment uncertainties.
The former BPP chief urged closer collaboration among procurement regulators, anti-corruption agencies and civil society groups to deepen transparency and promote value for money in public spending.
Meanwhile, the Centre for Public Accountability said reforms introduced by the BPP have generated significant savings for the government, estimating that measures aimed at reducing contract inflation and procurement leakages have saved about N1.1 trillion.
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