…Says price intelligence, budget reforms preserve ₦1.1 trillion in 2025

The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) says it saved the Federal Government about ₦1.1 trillion in 2025 through improved price intelligence and budget evaluation, while recording average savings of ₦8 billion weekly since January 2026.

Director-General of the BPP, Dr Adebowale Adedokun, disclosed this on Friday during the opening of the 2026 Permanent Secretaries’ Retreat in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State.

The retreat, themed “Strengthening Procurement Leadership and Accountability for Effective Budget Execution and National Development,” focused on improving public procurement practices and budget implementation.

Adedokun said the bureau had also introduced administrative sanctions for procurement officers and agencies that violate the Public Procurement Act, 2007, alongside a debarment policy to sanction and blacklist erring contractors.

He said the reforms were part of the bureau’s efforts to strengthen transparency, accountability and value for money in public procurement.

According to him, since assuming office, the bureau has embarked on an ambitious reform programme comprising 23 strategic initiatives aimed at modernising Nigeria’s procurement system.

The reforms include the proposed amendment of the Public Procurement Act, 2007, development of a National Procurement Strategy Framework, revised procurement thresholds, contractor classification and categorisation, community-based and affirmative procurement, food procurement standardisation, overhauled contractor registration, deployment of sector-specific procurement professionals and the rollout of Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP).

Adedokun described the retreat’s theme as timely, saying procurement leadership plays a central role in translating government policies and budgetary allocations into measurable development outcomes.

He noted that the retreat, first introduced in 2008 as an annual capacity-building forum for permanent secretaries, was last held in 2022.

He urged Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to comply with BPP circulars on budget implementation and directives from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation on contract administration.

He also reminded procuring entities of their statutory obligation to publish contract awards on their websites and that of the BPP, as well as submit quarterly procurement reports.

Represented by the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof. Tunji Olaopa, Vice-President Kashim Shettima said the Tinubu administration remained committed to repositioning the economy through reforms that promote fiscal discipline, infrastructure development, food and energy security, digital transformation and improved service delivery.

He said the success of these reforms depended largely on an effective and accountable public service.

“Government policies become meaningful only when they are translated into programmes, projects and services that improve the lives of Nigerians,” he said.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, represented by his Senior Special Assistant, Prof. Babatunde Bernard, described the retreat’s theme as timely, stressing that effective management of public resources remains critical to achieving national development goals.

Also speaking, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, said the Renewed Hope Agenda requires a disciplined, responsive and results-oriented public service capable of delivering value to Nigerians.