The Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr. Adebowale A. Adedokun, FCIPS, ACFE, has announced that the Bureau is set to begin issuing practice licenses to individuals and institutions involved in procurement training in Nigeria.
Dr. Adedokun made this known while delivering a keynote address at the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) National Workshop, held on July 31, 2025, at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.
He stated that the move is part of efforts to professionalize procurement training, eliminate quacks, and build a new generation of highly trained procurement professionals across the country.
> “The Public Procurement Act, 2007 provides that the BPP should set standards, harmonize existing policies and guidelines, frameworks, and professional capability,” he emphasized.
Adedokun also highlighted the urgent need for professionals to upgrade their knowledge in line with emerging technologies and global best practices, saying:
> “Nigeria now has no choice than to adopt technology in managing its procurement processes.”
Crackdown on Violators
The BPP DG revealed that the Bureau is working closely with the Federal Ministry of Justice to deploy a debarment procedure to address procurement violations. The mechanism, he noted, will outline clear sanctions for those who breach procurement laws.
He urged NIQS members to collaborate with BPP on procurement audits, leveraging their presence in all 36 states of the federation.
> “In line with Mr. President's Renewed Hope Agenda for Procurement Reform, under the Nigeria’s First Policy, those who design should not supervise and vice versa,” he noted, referencing efforts to boost local content and ensure transparency.
Revised Bidding Documents Rolled Out
In line with the workshop’s theme, “Standardizing Procurement Excellence: Enhancing Transparency and Efficiency through the Nigerian Bureau of Public Procurement’s Standard Bidding Documents (SBDs),” Adedokun announced the launch of 17 newly revised Standard Bidding Documents (SBDs).
He described the SBDs as essential instruments of fairness, transparency, and efficiency—not just templates.
> “Standard Bidding Documents are tools of fairness, instruments of efficiency, and gateways to transparency. They eliminate ambiguity, reduce manipulation, and foster a level playing field,” he stated.
The DG reiterated that use of SBDs is a legal requirement under the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007.
Technology-Driven Reforms
Among reforms implemented under his leadership, Adedokun highlighted the upgrade of the Nigerian Open Contracting Portal (NOCOPO), which has saved the country over ₦173 billion in just six months through improved price intelligence and transparency.
He also mentioned the rollout of E-Procurement Systems to reduce human interference and ensure full traceability of procurement transactions.
Other milestones include:
Raised Approval Thresholds, leading to a 300% reduction in processing time
Strategic partnerships with global organizations like the World Bank, UNDP, and AFDB
Enhanced procurement capacity building and anti-corruption efforts
A Call to Action
Dr. Adedokun called on Quantity Surveyors to become vanguards of transparency and champions of value-for-money, urging them to adopt and promote SBDs across both public and private sectors.
He also unveiled upcoming BPP initiatives, including:
Affirmative procurement policies for SMEs and marginalized groups
Community-based procurement models to boost local participation
Revival of the National Conference on Public Procurement as a key policy dialogue forum
> “With your continued partnership, we will redefine procurement—not as a bureaucratic bottleneck, but as a bold, strategic instrument of national transformation,” he concluded.
The workshop brought together top procurement professionals, academics, policymakers, and development stakeholders—united in a shared goal to drive procurement excellence and governance reform throughout Nigeria.
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