FG tasks procurement officers on integrity, value for money

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume, gave the charge on Monday in Port Harcourt at the opening of the 2026 Mandatory Continuous Public Procurement Capacity Development Training Programme.

The event was organised by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).

Akume, represented by his Special Assistant (Technical), Prof. Babatunde Benard, said public procurement was critical to translating government policies, budgets and development plans into tangible benefits for Nigerians.

He said the delivery of roads, hospitals, schools, bridges and other infrastructure depended significantly on efficient and transparent procurement processes.

The SGF warned that poor planning, weak contract management and non-compliance with procurement regulations could lead to delays, waste and substandard projects.

“Every naira must deliver measurable value. Procurement should, therefore, be viewed not merely as an administrative process but as a strategic instrument of economic management, accountability and national development,” he said.

Akume said the Public Procurement Act, 2007 provided the legal and institutional framework for transparency, competition, efficiency and professionalism in public procurement.

He stressed that the effectiveness of the framework depended largely on the knowledge, competence and integrity of officers responsible for its implementation.

The SGF urged procurement officers to resist undue influence, conflict of interest, favouritism and attempts to circumvent due process, while embracing digital technologies to improve documentation, audit trails, transparency and monitoring.

He also urged participants to pursue continuous learning and professional excellence, noting that public procurement involved resources held in trust for Nigerians.

Also, the Director-General of BPP, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, said the bureau would train the first batch of 350 of the 700 registered procurement officers under the three-week Foundation/Beginners Course.

Adedokun said the training was designed to deepen participants’ understanding of procurement principles, processes, regulations, ethics and best practices under the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

He said ongoing reforms included digitalisation and e-procurement, improved procurement planning, price intelligence and benchmarking, standardisation of bidding documents and stronger contract monitoring.

The D-G said that the cheapest bid was not necessarily the best option, noting that government must prioritise the lowest evaluated responsive bid and value for money.

“Procurement is not simply about spending less. It is about spending well,” Adedokun said, urging participants to demonstrate competence, integrity, value and accountability in the discharge of their duties.

Prof. Shu’aibu Aliyu, Executive Secretary, Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), represented by Mr. Waziri Laisu,General Manager, Procurement Department, PTDF, said professionalism, competence and integrity were essential for effective management of government resources.

Aliyu said the quality of procurement systems had a direct bearing on value for money, institutional efficiency, service delivery and public confidence.

He further said that the effectiveness of the Public Procurement Act ultimately depended on the competence and integrity of procurement officers.

He urged participants to maximise the training by deepening their technical knowledge and building professional networks.

Aliyu said the value of the exercise would be measured by improvements on how procurement was planned, executed, monitored and managed in public institutions.