The Secretary to the Federal Government, Senator George Akume, has emphasised the need for transparency and accountability in government procurement processes, warning that corruption in this area is a significant threat to Nigeria’s development.
Akume also stressed that public procurement is a powerful tool in fighting corruption and enhancing Nigeria’s reputation.
Speaking through his Special Technical Adviser, Olusegun Adekunle, at the 2025 Mandatory Continuous Public Procurement Capacity Training Programme themed “Strengthening Procurement Capacity for National Development,” in Port Harcourt, Akume revealed that Nigeria loses an estimated $18 billion annually to corruption and financial crimes in public procurement.
While noting that the programme aimed to equip procurement officers with the necessary skills and knowledge to deliver value for money and promote good governance, he decried that contract and procurement fraud accounts for roughly 90 per cent of all corruption cases in the public sector.
Akume stressed that a transparent and well-regulated procurement system is crucial in preventing corruption and ensuring value for money, while emphasising that procurement malpractices directly steal development from Nigerians, as every naira lost to a fraudulent contract is a naira taken away from building a school, hospital, road, or water supply that citizens desperately need.
He said: “I must also remind you that Public procurement is also one of the most powerful tools to fight corruption and enhance our nation’s reputation.
“We know from experience and global evidence that when the procurement process becomes opaque or compromised, it becomes the single biggest loophole through which public funds can be misappropriated.
“Alarmingly, Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies estimate that about $18 billion is lost every year due to corruption and financial crimes in public procurement.”
He added, “Put seriously, it is estimated that the share of the ‘leakages’ in our public budget occurs during the contracting of public projects. This is why the anti-corruption agencies have observed that contract and procurement fraud accounts for roughly 90 per cent of all corruption cases in the public sector.
“The lesson here is that, whatever the percentage, corruption in government thrives through procurement malpractices. Such abuses directly steal development from our people because every naira lost to a fraudulent contract is a naira taken away from building a school, hospital, road, or water supply that citizens desperately need.”
The SGF urged procurement professionals to uphold integrity, professionalism, and ethics, and to leverage technology, such as e-procurement systems and the NOCOPO portal, to ensure fair and competitive procurement processes.
He emphasised the importance of building capacity and strengthening institutional frameworks to combat corruption in public procurement.
Akume noted that the Public Procurement Act 2007 and the establishment of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) have yielded positive results, saving the nation significant sums of money that would otherwise have been lost.
He encouraged procurement professionals to make use of the tools and support systems available, including the BPP’s guidelines and intervention in complex cases.
Meanwhile, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, Director-General of BPP, highlighted the agency’s efforts to strengthen the procurement framework, including the revision of procurement thresholds, the introduction of a debarsment policy, and the development of a National Procurement Strategy.
He emphasised the importance of ethical conduct and professionalism in procurement, warning that misconduct would not be tolerated.
Adedokun also announced the BPP’s partnership with six Centres of Excellence to provide advanced training for procurement officers, as well as collaborations with reputable private training institutions to deliver practical and cutting-edge training.
He emphasised the importance of continuous professional development, urging participants to pursue self-development through virtual learning platforms, applied research initiatives, and international exchange programmes.
On his part, the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Ahmed Galadima, welcomed participants to the PTDF Centre for Skills Development and Training, highlighting the centre’s state-of-the-art facilities and strategic vision.
He noted that the centre would provide hands-on vocational training to produce competent middle- and lower-level manpower for the oil, gas, and energy industries, stressing that the training programme is expected to run for several days, and will cover topics such as procurement planning, tendering, evaluation, ethical standards, record-keeping, and contract management.
The event was attended by representatives of various government agencies, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, and the Director-General of the Rivers State Bureau of Public Procurement.
