Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, has reiterated reforms for repositioning public procurement in Nigeria.
He stated that procurement must shift from being a transactional activity to being a strategic development tool anchored in innovation, youth involvement, professional collaboration, and gender responsiveness.
Dr. Adedokun made these remarks during a high-level engagement with the leadership of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) in Abuja.
He said procurement reforms must be strategic even as he expressed concerns that for over two decades, Nigeria had operated a procurement system focused solely on awarding contracts without deploying procurement as a pivot in national development.
According to him, “We have failed by making procurement transactional. It must now become transformative and embedded in how governance and business are done.”
He urged NIQS to rethink traditional approaches and embrace a forward-looking, strategic orientation that aligned with global best practices.
Adedokun pointed out that “procurement in many other countries now reflects cultural and behavioural shifts—integrated into planning, performance, and policy—not just contract issuance.”
The Director-General disclosed that the Bureau was open to collaboration with NIQS and its technical collaborators. These partnerships, he said, could cover contract auditing, benchmarking, procurement training, and more efficient monitoring systems.
He said, “We are willing to partner you to use our technical and development allies. But NIQS must come out of its shell and stop operating traditionally,”
He stressed that “if professional bodies like NIQS become more dynamic, they would attract the attention of and resources from international development partners.”
In a practical move towards long-term capacity building, Dr. Adedokun called on NIQS to collaborate with BPP in sourcing and deploying young, passionate quantity surveyors, particularly from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in training and mentorship.
“I want to see graduates work, grow, and be absorbed into the system if they prove themselves,” he said.
He proposed that five quantity surveyors be seconded to the Bureau’s Price Intelligence and Benchmarking Department on a non-staff basis. These individuals, he said, should be driven by purpose and patriotism—not merely seeking employment.
“We want professionals who are angry about the way things are and want to contribute. That’s the energy Nigeria needs,” he stated.
Affirmative procurement was another key element in Dr. Adedokun’s remarks. He emphasized that empowering women through procurement policies was both strategic and necessary.
He urged NIQS and other institutions to actively support gender inclusion in procurement processes and related decision-making. According to him, “Affirmative procurement is not just about fairness; it’s about effectiveness.”
Speaking on behalf of the visiting team, President of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyor, QS Kene C. Nzekwe, thanked the Director General and his team for the reception.
He lauded BPP reforms in standardizing procurement practices across Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs), and pledged NIQS’s full cooperation in achieving national procurement objectives.
Nzekwe said that “the Bureau remains one of the most vital institutions in Nigeria’s governance structure. “Its role as a regulatory body ensures transparency, value for money and effective service delivery. We are aligned with your mission.”
He highlighted several concerns and recommendations for enhanced collaboration between the institutions, including capacity building and policy input, inclusion of registered quantity surveyors in capital project procurement and ensuring professional compliance in consultancy procurement.
Signed
Zira Zakka Nagga
Head of Public Relations (BPP)
10th July, 2025
