The Federal Government has announced a series of reforms aimed at reducing contract approval bottlenecks, strengthening fiscal oversight, and expanding opportunities for indigenous businesses in Nigeria.
The Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during the inaugural National Public Procurement Day and Procurement Evolution Showcase.
According to Adedokun, the reforms, driven by directives from President Bola Tinubu, are transforming public procurement into a strategic tool for economic growth, transparency, and national development.
He revealed that the review of procurement thresholds across the Federal Public Service has significantly reduced the number of contracts requiring Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval, allowing the council to focus on broader governance and economic issues.
“FEC rarely meets to deliberate on contract awards anymore. The revised thresholds have eliminated unnecessary bottlenecks while maintaining transparency and accountability,” Adedokun said.
The reforms come amid concerns over delays in project execution, cost overruns, and bureaucratic inefficiencies that have historically hampered infrastructure delivery and budget implementation.
Under the new regime, procurement powers have been devolved to ministerial and parastatal tender boards and accounting officers within approved limits, accelerating decision-making and project delivery across government institutions.
Adedokun noted that President Tinubu has also directed that all contract variations must receive explicit approval from the BPP, a measure designed to curb abuse, cost inflation, and contract manipulation.
The Bureau has institutionalized a mandatory 14-working-day standstill period before contract execution, allowing aggrieved bidders to challenge procurement decisions and seek redress.
To deepen accountability, ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) are now required to publish monthly contract awards and quarterly performance reports. A joint monitoring and evaluation framework developed with the Budget Office is expected to improve alignment between procurement activities and budgetary allocations.
The BPP boss revealed that the government has deployed advanced price intelligence and benchmarking systems to safeguard public funds and ensure value-for-money in contract awards.
A major pillar of the reforms is the ongoing digital transformation of procurement processes. Electronic procurement platforms, a Nigerian e-market system, and upgraded contractor certification databases are being introduced to automate procurement procedures, reduce human interference, and minimize corruption risks.
“The future of procurement is digital. Technology is helping us strengthen transparency, improve efficiency, and reduce opportunities for abuse within the system,” Adedokun added.
According to him, the reforms also seek to use procurement as a catalyst for economic development through the Nigeria First Policy, which prioritizes local firms in key sectors including infrastructure, automobile manufacturing, information and communications technology, renewable energy, textiles, and agriculture.
He hinted that the BPP is also developing affirmative procurement frameworks to increase participation by women-owned enterprises, small and medium-scale businesses, and vulnerable groups in government contracting opportunities.
The Bureau has introduced certification programmes, specialized procurement training, and academic partnerships with six federal universities to strengthen capacity and raise standards across the procurement ecosystem.
Adedokun insisted that the new measures are critical to building public confidence in government spending and ensuring that procurement serves as a tool for delivering development outcomes rather than merely awarding contracts.
