Public procurement lies at the heart of governance. It is the bridge between policy intent and public impact. When procurement fails, roads crumble before completion, hospitals remain unequipped, and classrooms stand empty despite billions spent on construction.
In Nigeria, where procurement accounts for nearly 30 per cent of the national budget, typically over $30 billion annually, this is not merely a procedural concern. It is a make or break determinant of national development.
As the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr Adebowale Adedokun, has repeatedly made clear, Nigeria is confronting a silent but urgent crisis in this critical sector. Across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), procurement responsibilities are still handled by personnel who are often overburdened and undertrained. Many have not been exposed to modern procurement methods, let alone equipped to lead reforms in an increasingly digitised and globally benchmarked environment. The consequences are visible all around us.
According to the BPP Audit 2024, 63 per cent of federal contracts miss their delivery deadlines. The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) estimates that ₦4.1 trillion has been lost to inflated contracts since 2020. A NOIPolls survey conducted in early 2025 further showed that only 22 per cent of Nigerians believe procurement processes are conducted transparently.
This is not merely a question of capacity. It is a question of credibility. Without professionals capable of navigating today’s procurement complexities, ranging from environmental compliance to digital tendering, Nigeria risks slowing reform while simultaneously deepening public distrust.
To appreciate the scale of the challenge, one only needs to consider the Abuja-Lokoja Highway. The project reportedly required redesigning at an additional cost of ₦217 billion because of poor contract supervision. That is only one example among many. World Bank estimates suggest that a one per cent reduction in procurement inefficiency could save Nigeria as much as ₦900 billion annually. That is not a rounding error. It is a national opportunity.
The Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement (SPESSE) Project was designed to take that opportunity. Supported by the World Bank and the sustainable procurement node driven by the BPP, SPESSE represents Nigeria’s most ambitious response yet to the country’s procurement skills deficit.
The SPESSE baseline survey exposed troubling gaps. About 71 per cent of procurement officers lacked competence in e-procurement tools. Only 18 per cent of MDAs conducted environmental impact assessments before awarding major contracts. Worse still, 43 per cent of awarded contracts reportedly failed to comply with competitive bidding requirements under the Public Procurement Act.
To confront these realities directly, the SPESSE project established six Centres of Excellence hosted by six Nigerian universities: the University of Lagos, the University of Benin, Ahmadu Bello University, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, and the Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
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These centres are not ceremonial additions to the academic landscape. They are practical engines of reform. Their programmes range from short professional courses for officers already in service to master’s degrees in procurement science and executive programmes tailored for senior decision makers.
The curriculum itself reflects the demands of modern governance. Contract management courses are reinforced with AI driven simulations. Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) compliance is taught through World Bank Environmental and Social Framework case studies. Procurement data analytics includes practical training using platforms such as the National Open Contracting Portal (NOCOPO). This is not theoretical instruction. It is professional preparation for a rapidly evolving governance environment.
The impact is already beginning to emerge. More than 4,000 procurement specialists are expected to receive full certification by 2027, while another 21,000 personnel will benefit from structured training programmes. At the same time, an estimated 12,000 new jobs could emerge across procurement auditing, ESG compliance, and digital contract administration. SPESSE is, therefore, not only a capacity building intervention, it is also a potential employment pipeline.
The challenge now is clear. Nigeria finally has a funded and operational response to a problem that has crippled public sector efficiency for decades. But unless government acts decisively to support and scale the initiative, the opportunity could once again be squandered.
That is why the Director-General of the BPP has called on the Executive to ring fence budgets for annual MDA training quotas and to make professional certification mandatory for procurement officers by 2026. He has also urged the National Assembly to consider strategic amendments to the Public Procurement Act, including procurement licensing requirements and a dedicated annual five per cent training allocation within MDA budgets.
Because procurement reform is central to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria’s development partners also have an important role to play. This is the moment to deepen support for procurement education and institutional reform. Scholarships can help extend procurement education to officers in underserved and rural areas. Global best practice tools such as the Open Contracting Data Standard can also be deployed more extensively.
More importantly, Nigeria has an opportunity to build a generation of procurement professionals capable of competing with their peers in countries such as Rwanda, Morocco, and Vietnam, where certification rates are significantly higher and e-procurement systems are far more advanced.
Naturally, some concerns have emerged around the implications of mandatory certification. Some public servants fear that new standards may threaten existing jobs. The BPP, however, appears conscious of this anxiety and has adopted what it describes as an inclusive transition strategy. Through reskilling programmes, mentoring frameworks, and incentives for early adopters, the agency hopes to transform resistance into opportunity. As highlighted during the Director-General’s June 2025 engagement with the Association of Public Procurement Practitioners, this change management approach is central to the implementation plan.
Citizens, too, have a role to play. Through platforms such as NOCOPO, Nigerians can monitor procurement projects in real time, report irregularities through digital channels, and hold institutions accountable. Transparency is not merely a government obligation. It is a democratic right.
During a recent visit to the Lagos-Ibadan rail corridor, an engineer reportedly remarked to the BPP Director-General: “We cannot build 21st century infrastructure with 20th century procurement.”
That observation captures the issue perfectly.
Procurement is no longer a back office administrative function. It is now a frontline instrument of economic development, institutional credibility, and public trust. SPESSE is, therefore, not just about training individuals. It is about building a culture in which procurement excellence becomes part of Nigeria’s governance identity.
The cost of inaction will be severe: more abandoned projects, more waste, more delays, and deeper public cynicism. But the rewards of getting it right are equally enormous: better roads, smarter schools, properly equipped hospitals, and citizens who can finally see tangible value for every naira spent by government.
The time for hesitation has passed. Nigeria cannot afford to postpone the future of a modern, digitally enabled, citizen responsive procurement system. The country must now commit itself to building the talent, systems, and standards required for serious national development.
■ Sufuyan Ojeifo is a journalist, publisher, and communication consultant.
