…BPP Says Nigeria-First Policy Cuts Vehicle Spending
By Emma Ujah
ABUJA — President Bola Tinubu has directed Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to strictly adhere to existing procurement guidelines in the award of government contracts.
The Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Mr. Adebowale Adedokun, disclosed this on Thursday during the Procurement Day celebration in Abuja.
He said the President has continued to back procurement reforms with “non-interference” in processes, insisting that all MDAs must comply fully with due process.
“Since my resumption as Director-General, Mr. President has extended his absolute and unwavering executive support, characterised by a principled stance of non-interference and strict insistence on compliance,” he said.
Adedokun noted that the administration has introduced reforms aimed at improving transparency, efficiency, digitalisation, compliance, and support for local enterprises.
He also said President Tinubu has directed that all contract variations must be reviewed and approved by the BPP to prevent inflation of project costs.
Nigeria-First policy reduces expenditure
The BPP DG said the “Nigeria-First” policy, which mandates MDAs to prioritise locally assembled vehicles and other locally made goods over imports, has significantly reduced federal expenditure on vehicles.
He added that the policy has now been expanded to cover textiles, garments, and solar energy products.
Revised thresholds ease FEC burden
Adedokun explained that revised procurement approval thresholds have reduced the workload of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), allowing it to focus more on policy and governance issues.
He said procurement responsibilities have been further delegated to ministerial and parastatal tenders boards, as well as accounting officers, to reduce bottlenecks while maintaining accountability.
Enforcement, sanctions, and transparency
The BPP boss said enforcement mechanisms have been strengthened to ensure compliance, stressing that violations would attract consequences.
“Reform without accountability cannot succeed,” he said, adding that monitoring and compliance reviews have been intensified across MDAs.
He also disclosed that MDAs are now required to publish monthly contract awards and quarterly performance reports.
According to him, a debarment policy has been introduced to blacklist erring contractors and protect public funds.
Market intelligence and training reforms
Adedokun said the Bureau is now using price intelligence and benchmarking tools to ensure value for money in procurement.
He added that the BPP is collaborating with six universities to strengthen procurement training and standardise certification for officers.
He also said plans were underway to extend procurement reforms to state and local governments.
Call for stronger enforcement
Former BPP Director-General, Engr. Emeka Eze, in a presentation, lamented that corruption-related pressures against the agency persist despite years of reforms.
He called for stronger sanctions against erring officials and contractors, including both administrative and criminal penalties, and urged random integrity assessments for procurement officers.
