The Federal Government has introduced the Procurement Compliance Monitoring System (PICOMS), a digital platform designed to enhance transparency, accountability, and efficiency in procurement processes across Nigeria’s education sector.
The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, CON, announced the initiative while addressing procurement officers during an interactive capacity-building session held at the National Universities Commission Auditorium, Maitama, Abuja.
Speaking at the session, the Minister emphasized the critical role procurement officers play in ensuring the timely delivery of infrastructure, learning facilities, research equipment, and other essential services across institutions, agencies, parastatals, commissions, and tertiary institutions under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Education.
Dr. Alausa noted that delays and procedural lapses in procurement processes have significantly slowed the implementation of key education projects funded through various government interventions. He explained that incomplete documentation, weak procurement submissions, and poor preparation of requests have often created avoidable bottlenecks that hinder the timely execution of projects.
According to the Minister, strengthening procurement compliance is essential to ensuring that education projects are delivered efficiently and that public resources are properly managed.
He therefore urged procurement officers to demonstrate professionalism, diligence, and a strong sense of responsibility in carrying out their duties. Dr. Alausa warned that persistent delays caused by negligence or non-compliance with procurement procedures could result in redeployment through the Bureau of Public Procurement in order to strengthen accountability and improve performance.
To address these challenges, the Minister announced the deployment of the Procurement Compliance Monitoring System (PICOMS), a digital platform that will manage procurement processes electronically, track submissions in real time, and significantly reduce approval timelines.
Dr. Alausa explained that the system will cover procurement activities across the Ministry and all its agencies, parastatals, commissions, and tertiary institutions. Through the platform, procurement officers will be able to submit requests digitally, monitor the progress of approvals, and ensure compliance with established procurement regulations.
He encouraged procurement officers to embrace the new system and participate actively in capacity-building programmes aimed at strengthening their technical knowledge and operational efficiency. The Minister noted that the reform forms part of broader government efforts to promote transparency, accountability, and the effective management of public resources within the education sector.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Abel Eniitan, assured participants that the Ministry would diligently implement the key decisions and recommendations arising from the engagement, including the effective deployment of the Procurement Compliance Monitoring System (PICOMS).
He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to strengthening procurement practices, improving project delivery timelines, and ensuring responsible management of public resources to support the development of Nigeria’s education sector.
Also speaking at the session, the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, Dr. Adebowale Adebukola Adedokun, highlighted several recurring challenges affecting procurement processes across the sector.
He observed that many procurement submissions received by the Bureau frequently contain errors such as incomplete documentation, weak analysis, inconsistent financial figures, and failure to use standard bidding documents as required by law.
Dr. Adedokun also raised concerns about practices that undermine transparency in procurement processes, including situations where contractors appear to be predetermined, the repeated engagement of the same contractors over extended periods, and the failure of some institutions to properly advertise contracts in line with statutory requirements.
He stressed that procurement processes must remain transparent, competitive, and inclusive in order to create opportunities for women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
According to him, delays often arise when institutions submit poorly prepared procurement documents that require extensive corrections by officials of the Bureau before they can proceed for approval.
Dr. Adedokun explained that technical evaluations are expected to be carried out internally by institutions prior to submission, rather than being left for officials of the Bureau to complete.
He therefore advised procurement officers to study the provisions of the Public Procurement Act carefully and ensure that all required documentation is complete before submitting requests for “No Objection.”
He noted that strict adherence to procurement procedures would significantly reduce approval timelines and improve the overall efficiency of project implementation.
Participants at the session were also advised to strengthen internal review mechanisms, improve documentation standards, and strictly follow procurement planning and evaluation procedures. They were reminded that many procurement processes can be completed internally when the rules are properly applied, thereby reducing unnecessary delays.
The Federal Ministry of Education reiterated its commitment to promoting transparency, accountability, and efficiency across the education sector. The Ministry assured stakeholders that ongoing reforms, including digital procurement platforms and continuous capacity-building initiatives, will streamline procurement processes, accelerate project implementation, and ensure that public resources are effectively utilized to advance education development in Nigeria.
Boriowo Folasade
Director, Press and Public Relations
