The Senate may be working towards far reaching reforms in Nigeria’s public procurement space, to drive compliance, efficiency and transparency.
Insisting that Nigerians must get real value for their money, the legislative house said it would work towards ensuring that money spent on behalf of the public translate to provable projects.
These and other issues in public procurement came under review at a two-day retreat in Abuja, organised by the Senate Committee on Public Procurement.
In his opening remarks at the retreat, the chairman of the committee, Senator Olajide Ipinsagba (Ondo North), said public procurement demands integrity and accountability from those involved.
“Public procurement is not merely a technical or administrative activity. It is the mechanism through which government policies are transformed into tangible services, infrastructure and development outcomes.
“It accounts for a significant proportion of national expenditure and, therefore, demands the highest standards of integrity, efficiency, and accountability.”
Ipinsagba noted that the Public Procurement Act 2007, leading to the establishment of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) was a decisive step toward institutionalising procurement principles.
He however, more still needed to be done in terms of required reforms to strengthen the process.
“Public procurement is not a one-time event. It is a continuous process of evolution, adaptation and learning.
“The Senate Committee on Public Procurement remains committed to legislative oversight, policy advocacy, and institutional reforms that strengthen integrity and compliance in the procurement system.
“Let us, therefore, reaffirm our collective resolve to make public procurement in Nigeria a model of transparency and efficiency — not only in Africa but across the global stage.
“By aligning our practices with international standards and embracing innovation, we can ensure that every naira spent translates into better schools, safer roads, improved healthcare, and a more prosperous nation in line with Mr. President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda,” he added.
The Chief Executive Officer of
Leadbold Resource Consulting Limited, Mrs Kelechi Kingsley, who spoke earlier, said the overarching aim of the retreat was to enhance strategic leadership capacity of the Senate Committee on Public Procurement.
Kingsley, who leads Leadbold Resource Consulting, the company that provided resource at the retreat, sought measures to effectively drive oversight, transparency, accountability and compliance in Nigeria’s public procurement ecosystem.
She said, “The retreat seeks to expose participants to global regulations, international best practices and practical frameworks that will strengthen institutional integrity.
“It will also ensure value for money in public expenditure and advance national development objectives through sound procurement governance.”
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