The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has commenced the 2025 Batch B mandatory continuous public procurement capacity development training programme, a three-week long capacity workshop holding in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The training is a continuation of Batch A, which saw the BPP build the capacity of over 350 officers drawn from over 175 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) across the country.
Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the BPP, Dr. Adebowale A. Adedokun, said that the training was designed to ensure that procurement officers understood the principles of transparency, accountability, competition, and value for money in government projects.
He noted that the programme served as a conversion course into the cadre and, for some, a required induction.
Adedokun stated that the BPP had introduced several key initiatives to strengthen the procurement process, including:
- Revised Procurement Thresholds to reflect present economic realities
- Revised Standard Bidding Documents and Procurement Manual to eliminate ambiguities and promote consistency
- Strengthened procurement audit framework
- Market price intelligence to avoid over invoicing and ensure fair pricing
- Recently approved Debarment Policy, and
- Ongoing upgrade of the Contractors, Consultants, and Service Providers (CCSP) database, among others.
He said that the BPP was also working on digitalizing the procurement process, including the development and deployment of an electronic government procurement (e-GP) system.
According to him, “The BPP now has a new website, and all MDAs are required to register on the website. Beginning from March 1, 2026, only two designated persons would be allowed to submit documents to the BPP electronically.”
Adedokun urged participants to pay close attention and take all the lectures seriously, as procurement officers weree custodians of public trust.
He emphasized that “when procurement is done right, development accelerates; when it is compromised, the nation pays a heavy price.”
The training is expected to strengthen the capacity of procurement officers to carry out their assignments with professionalism, confidence, and ethical clarity.
Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, praised the BPP for its efforts in building the capacity of procurement officers.
Ogbuku, represented at the event, noted that over 35 staff members of the Commission had benefited from the training, which had improved their procurement skills and knowledge.
He warned that “shunning the procurement process can get you jailed,” emphasising the importance of adhering to procurement regulations.
He commended the BPP for transforming procurement from a transactional to a transformational process.
The MD/CEO of the Oil & Gas Free Zones Authority, Alhaji Bamanga Usman Jada, represented by the Head of Procurement, Mr. Alex Ekanone Pagson, encouraged participants to expose themselves to continuous learning to meet current trends and realities in procurement.
Jada said that “procurement is a tool that aids economic growth and unhindered good service delivery.”
The event featured a keynote address by Engr. Dr. Emeka M. Ezeh, OFR, a former BPP boss, entitled “The Role of Procurement Officers in the Delivery of The Renewed Hope Agenda.” Dr. Ezeh emphasised the critical role of public procurement in good governance.
e-Signed
Zira Zakka Nagga,
Head of Press & Public Relations (BPP)
27 January, 2026
