The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has re-opened the Permanent Secretaries’ Retreat after a four-year hiatus, with a strong call for procurement leadership and accountability to drive effective budget execution and national development.
The 2026 edition of the Retreat, themed “Strengthening Procurement Leadership and Accountability for Effective Budget Execution and National Development”, commenced on Thursday, 9th July, at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, and will run until Sunday, 12th July 2026.
In his opening address, the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, Dr. Adebowale A. Adedokun, FCIPS, described public procurement as “one of the most powerful instruments of governance” and “the bridge between budget approval and service delivery.”
Dr. Adedokun noted that the retreat remains a critical platform for policy dialogue and institutional strengthening. He disclosed that since assuming office, the Bureau has embarked on 23 key reform initiatives to modernise Nigeria’s procurement system. These include the proposed amendment of the Public Procurement Act, 2007, development of a National Procurement Strategy Framework, revised procurement thresholds, community-based procurement, contractor classification and categorisation, and the full rollout of Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP).
Highlighting results, the DG announced that the Bureau helped the Federal Government save about ₦1.1 trillion in 2025 through improved price intelligence and budget evaluation, with weekly savings averaging ₦8 billion since January 2026.
“Roads are constructed through procurement. Hospitals are equipped through procurement. Schools are built through procurement. Therefore, the quality of procurement determines the quality of governance,” Dr. Adedokun said.
He stressed that Permanent Secretaries, as Accounting Officers, bear ultimate responsibility for ensuring compliance with the Public Procurement Act, 2007. To enforce this, BPP has introduced administrative sanctions for erring procurement officers and a Debarment Policy to blacklist contractors who violate due process.
He urged Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to comply with circulars on budget implementation and to publish contract awards on their websites and on the BPP portal. He also reminded the Chief Accounting Officer’s to adhere to the circulars on budget implementation, contract variations and contract agreements.
Dr. Adedokun further revealed that Nigeria’s procurement reforms are attracting global attention, citing the Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement Project (SPESSE). Under SPESSE, specialised undergraduate degree courses in Sustainable Procurement have been established in six University Centres of Excellence: Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; University of Lagos; University of Benin; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; Federal University of Technology, Owerri; and Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi.
Development partners and multilateral institutions, he said, have acknowledged Nigeria’s strides in institutionalising transparency and accountability in public procurement under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Commending the DG, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, OON, mni, stated that procurement sits at the centre of governance.
“It is the point where policy, budget, leadership and service delivery meet. When procurement works well, Government delivers. When procurement is delayed, weak or poorly managed, citizens feel the consequences,” she said.
She encouraged Accounting Officers to insist on due process, value for money, and timely delivery. “The real test of governance is delivery, and procurement is one of the strongest instruments for that delivery. Creativity must never replace compliance, and innovation must never weaken accountability. Above all, every procurement decision must be tied to public value,” she added.
Delivering the goodwill message on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, represented by Prof. Bernard Babatunde, Senior Special Adviser to the SGF, lauded the Bureau and the Head of Service for convening the retreat.
Sen. Akume said the theme speaks directly to the responsibility of ensuring that public resources are managed with integrity, efficiency, and measurable impact.
“These aspirations cannot be realised through budget appropriations alone but must depend on disciplined implementation, prudent financial management, and a procurement system that delivers value for money,” he stated.
He applauded the ongoing reforms at BPP under Dr. Adedokun and assured the Bureau of the full support of the Office of the SGF. He further reiterated that the Federal Government would ensure that anyone involved in procurement fraud is duly prosecuted.
Delivering the keynote speech of Vice President Kashim Shettima, GCON, the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof. Tunji Olaopa, said procurement has moved beyond administration and compliance.
“It is now a strategic instrument for economic growth, a driver of industrial development, a tool for promoting local content, an enabler of infrastructure delivery, and a mechanism for ensuring value for money. Most importantly, it is an instrument of public trust,” he said.
“When procurement works, government delivers. When it fails, development suffers. The task before us is not just to comply with procedures but to strengthen procurement leadership because no procurement system can outgrow the leadership behind it,” Prof. Olaopa added.
The consensus among speakers was clear: procurement must be seen not merely as an administrative process, but as a strategic tool for economic growth, job creation, and national competitiveness.
Other highlights of the 2026 Permanent Secretaries’ Retreat included:
• Unveiling of the BPP song – ‘Value for Money Always’
• Health talk on sustaining peak performance in public sector leadership
• Panel discussion on delivering government priorities through effective budget implementation
• Courtesy visit to the host Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, PhD, at the Government House, Uyo
The retreat continues with technical sessions on procurement planning, leadership, high performance in public service delivery, institutional coordination, and “Public Procurement in Nigeria: Past, Present, and the Future.”
In his closing remarks, Dr. Adedokun declared:
“A budget is a covenant with the people. But procurement leadership is how we keep the covenant. Countries are developed by spending rightly. Only an accountable procurement system can guarantee that.”
e-Signed:
Zira Zakka Nagga
Head, Press and Public Relations (BPP)
11th July, 2026
