The Network for the Actualization of Social Growth and Viable Development (NEFGAD) has described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s public procurement reforms as a watershed in Nigeria’s economic governance, saying the measures are redefining fiscal discipline, transparency, and sustainable national development.
In a statement issued on Saturday, NEFGAD’s Acting Head of Office, Barrister Unekwu Blessing Ojo, said the reforms outlined by the President during the presentation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly signal a clear departure from years of inefficiency, waste, and weak accountability in public spending.
According to the procurement advocacy group, the comprehensive reform framework initiated in November 2024 marked a decisive break from entrenched bureaucratic delays, inflated contracts, and poor oversight that previously characterised public procurement.
NEFGAD noted that the reforms have already produced measurable outcomes, including shorter procurement timelines, improved compliance across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and tougher sanctions against erring contractors and public officials.
The group observed that the reform drive coincided with the assumption of office of the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, stressing that the progress acknowledged by President Tinubu is being driven under his leadership in line with the administration’s reform agenda.
Of particular significance, NEFGAD highlighted the President’s Nigeria First Policy, which mandates MDAs to prioritise Nigerian-made goods and local companies in public procurement.
It described the policy as a strategic economic tool aimed at deepening local content, stimulating domestic industries, creating jobs, encouraging innovation, and reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imports.
“Public procurement has moved beyond routine administration,” the group stated. “It has become a deliberate instrument for economic transformation, industrial growth, and national self-reliance.”
NEFGAD also commended the Bureau of Public Procurement for recording over ₦1 trillion in savings within one year through enhanced price intelligence and benchmarking mechanisms, describing the achievement as unprecedented.
“This single-year saving surpasses the cumulative savings recorded by the BPP over 17 years between 2007 and 2024. It represents the most significant cost-saving milestone in the history of the Bureau and arguably one of the largest by any public institution in Africa within a single budget cycle,” the statement said.
While applauding the gains, the group cautioned that they must be safeguarded through sustained transparency, strict adherence to due process, and strong institutional safeguards.
NEFGAD called on MDAs, civil society organisations, and the media to intensify monitoring of procurement implementation, warning that the Nigeria First Policy must not be hijacked by vested interests or reduced to a tool for political patronage.
According to the group, Nigeria’s evolving procurement landscape now offers a credible template for good governance in other sectors, stressing that with consistent oversight and unwavering political will, procurement reforms can drive economic growth, job creation, and long-term national prosperity.
