By Isaiah Eka
The Federal Government says it is committed to transforming procurement systems in the country in line with global best practices to enhance good governance.
The Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima, made the remark while delivering a keynote address during a 4-day Permanent Secretaries Retreat 2026 in Ikot Ekpene, on Friday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the retreat was organised by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) for federal Permanent Secretaries.
The retreat is themed, “Strengthening Procurement Leadership and Accountability for Effective Budget Execution and National Development.”.
Shettima, represented by the Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof. Tunji Olaopa, said the theme was both timely and significant.
He said the President was committed to repositioning the Nigerian economy through bold reforms that would promote fiscal discipline, economic competitiveness, infrastructure development and improved service delivery under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said the ongoing transformation at the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) remained one of the most important institutional reforms in the national development agenda.
“So far, 23 strategic initiatives and reforms aimed at improving transparency, accountability, and fiscal discipline in Nigeria have been introduced.
”And as at the last count, some of the reforms saved the Federal Government over ₦1.1 trillion in 2025 alone.
“Some of these reforms are; Threshold Adjustments, which allow contracts below ₦5 billion for goods/services and ₦10 billion for works to be managed by ministerial tender boards rather than the Federal Executive Council,” he said.
Shettima said the public procurement occupied a central place in the nation’s life, adding that procurement accounted for a substantial proportion of public expenditure.
He said that every road constructed, hospital equipped, school rehabilitated, agricultural intervention implemented and every digital platform deployed passed through the procurement process.
In her remarks, Mrs Esther Walson-Jack, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, said procurement was at the centre of governance.
She said that it was the point where policy, budget, leadership and service delivery met.
“When procurement works well, the government delivers. When procurement is delayed, weak, or poorly managed, citizens feel the consequences,” she said.
Walson-Jack said that as accounting officers and managers of procurement, permanent secretaries carried a serious responsibility of good governance and service delivery.
She added that they were expected to ensure that procurement processes were transparent, competitive, efficient and consistent with the Public Procurement Act and extant regulations.
Earlier in his remarks, Dr Adebowale Adedokun, Director General/Chief Executive Officer of BPP, said public procurement was one of the most powerful instruments of governance.
Adedokun said that across the world, governments spent a significant proportion of public resources through procurement.
He said in Nigeria, procurement represented the bridge between budget approval and service delivery.
“Roads are constructed through procurement. Hospitals are equipped through procurement. Schools are built through procurement. Security equipment is acquired through procurement.
“Therefore, the quality of procurement determines the quality of governance,” Adedokun said. NAN
