In this no-holds-barred conversation with State House Digital’s Otega Ogra on ‘THE BIG INTERVIEW: UNFILTERED”, Nigeria’s procurement czar, Dr Adedokun Adebowale, lifts the veil on waste, reform, and the silent revolution that is underway at the Bureau of Public Procurement. Excerpts:
■ Introduction
Otega Ogra: Today, on The Big Interview: Unfiltered, I sit with Dr Adedokun Adebowale, the Director-General of the BPP, to discuss procurement reforms, leakages in public spending, and the delicate balance between efficiency and oversight. We’ll also explore the digitisation of procurement systems and the streamlining of processes set out in the laws governing the Bureau.
■ Clarifying the Role of the BPP
Otega Ogra: Mr Director-General, let me start with a simple question: What is the role of the BPP, and what are the current challenges you’re facing since assuming office? Can you clearly and simply explain your mandate at the BPP, your role, and how you intend to ensure that public funds are spent efficiently?
Dr Adedokun Adebowale: Thank you, Otega, for having me on your show. It is a plus for the President to appoint someone who has grown within the system. That is already a mark of success. The directors I work with are also homegrown, people who have learned through the ropes. We are already changing the narrative around public perception. Leadership is key, and we have that. The other issues you’ve mentioned are already addressed by the Public Procurement Act 2007. The Act tells us what the BPP should do: harmonise existing policies, set standards, develop principles and values, and create guidelines specific to the challenges of different sectors such as roads or education. Our mandate is clear. We are a preventive agency. Before projects are implemented, we ensure that the government gets fair pricing, that project costs, when compared globally, are fair and achievable. I often say it is like applying for a UK visa. You must provide documents: bank statements, marriage certificate, introduction letter, travel itinerary, and hotel bookings. It is the same principle at BPP. If any government agency wants to procure anything, we ask for documentation. We review it, and if you have complied, we issue what is commonly but wrongly called a certificate of no objection.
Having a visa does not guarantee entry at border control. If your information is false, you are turned back. The same applies to the BPP. If an agency provides documentation and we are satisfied, we issue a “No objection”, not a contract award, just permission to proceed to the next stage. Our role is regulatory and compliance-based. We also ensure violators are held accountable. Anyone who alters approved documentation will be made to answer for it. We also educate. Public enlightenment and communication are essential. Procurement must no longer be seen as a function for the elite. It affects all 220 million Nigerians who want good roads, healthcare, and security. Procurement is a tool, an enabler, a game-changer that compels stakeholders to perform their duties within our compliance framework. Corruption attributed to procurement is a global issue. The difference between Nigeria and others, even our neighbours such as Sierra Leone or Ghana, is compliance. Under President Tinubu, seasoned professionals like us are focused on enforcing compliance. That will reflect in implementation. Compliance tells Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) it is no longer business as usual. If you fail to comply, we will hold you to account. And we have been doing that. In the last few weeks, there has been a visible paradigm shift. Agencies now know the new BPP insists on compliance. “No objection” will not be granted without it, regardless of who you are. The old way, where people treated contracts like birthrights, is over. Even they now admit: BPP is doing the right thing. Let us comply.
■ Democratising Procurement and Ensuring Efficiency
Otega Ogra: That is very interesting. So, two questions. First, could you walk us through some specific measures you’ve taken beyond what you’ve already mentioned? For the benefit of Nigerians, I’d like them to hear clearly: What specific measures has the BPP taken to democratise this process and ensure public procurement works better?
Also, many people online say our contracts are more expensive than those in other countries. Is this a BPP inefficiency issue, or does it point to broader structural problems? And if the steps you’ve taken so far have helped the government save money, please feel free to share.
Dr Adedokun Adebowale: Let me begin with the claim that projects in Nigeria are expensive. I would say that is subjective. It is not necessarily true. Why? A contractor bidding for a project does not know when they will be paid. They include the cost of delay and borrowing because there is uncertainty. In nearby countries, contractors are sure of payment timelines. Here, it has not been that way for years. So, they load their bids with extra costs. They also provide their own electricity. There is no public power at sites. They bring generators and buy diesel, the cost of which has been rising consistently. That adds to variation. Who should bear that cost? The contractor? He is out to make a profit. Some borrow from banks. That is the reality. Security is another issue. Contractors provide security for their equipment and staff members. All these add to project costs, which people wrongly see as overinflated. Remove these inadequacies, and the costs would be fair.
Secondly, in recent years, procurement leaned towards selective and restricted tendering. That created monopoly. What are we doing now? We are saying: advertise. That opens the process to competition. Contractors now know the system is not predetermined. They adjust their costs because they know someone else might bid lower. That is open competition. It keeps everyone on their toes. In restricted tendering, costs go up due to familiarity. So, the BPP now insists: advertise. That is one. Two, we have introduced procurement planning. MDAs must show us what they intend to do and when. This allows us to monitor and evaluate, in collaboration with anti-corruption agencies. We share data with the EFCC and ICPC as soon as contracts are awarded, so they can also track.
Another initiative is digitisation. Yes, we lost some time, but we have resumed the process. We are establishing the legal and technical framework for e-procurement. Once deployed, if you are in Sokoto or Obudu, you will not need to come to Abuja. You can go online, from your phone, to access opportunities. We are phasing it. First, planning. Then e-advertising. Eventually, every government contract will be published on our website. That is already mandatory, along with publication in two national newspapers and the Federal Tenders Journal. Digitally, we will reach more people. We are also strengthening monitoring and evaluation. Rather than wait until the end, we are deploying tools and personnel in monitoring projects as they progress. Another thing we often ignore is capacity building. For years, procurement officers were not properly trained. You cannot expect someone to use AI tools when you did not teach them the basics. We are retooling procurement officers, making them aware of their roles and responsibilities, and requiring them to sign a code of conduct. Misbehaviour will lead to disciplinary action. We have already issued warnings.
■ Supporting SMEs and Local Content
Otega Ogra: Are you getting any pushback?
Dr Adedokun Adebowale: Absolutely not.
Otega Ogra: Then you must have a high degree of emotional intelligence. It is one thing to democratise and digitise access, but change management is hard. It is impressive that people are cooperating. Now, SMEs, local communities, and the BPP. While your main role is ensuring smooth procurement, you also support Nigerian businesses—local content, as it is often called. Many SMEs struggle to win government contracts despite having capacity. They have delivered in the private sector, so why not in the public? Are there specific targets to ensure SMEs and local manufacturers can participate in procurement? A few years ago, there was Executive Order 5 to prioritise local content. Has it worked, or do large and foreign companies still dominate the system?
Dr Adedokun Adebowale: What we are doing now is to raise awareness among Nigerians that this is the best time for local contractors. They can finally have a sense of ownership, thanks to the policies we are putting in place.
Otega Ogra (cuts in): So I can mark this thing you have just said and inform Nigerians, because you sound very confident…
Dr Adedokun Adebowale: I know what I am saying. And here is why: every MDA must advertise, and they can include provisions in their calls for bids that favour local contractors. That is within their rights. BPP sets the mandatory eligibility criteria, but MDAs can and should go further to prioritise micro, small and medium enterprises, to include women-led businesses, and to create space for people with disabilities. Now let me tell you the latest: we are introducing what we call community-based procurement. We want local communities across Nigeria to benefit directly from procurement. How? Watch this space, we will unveil the details soon.
■ Decentralisation, Timeliness, and Transparency
Otega Ogra: Now you are getting me excited. That takes us to the future of procurement. You talked earlier about centralisation versus decentralisation. Your office is in Abuja, but every MDA is supposed to have its own procurement officers. How do you intend to decentralise physically, not just digitally, so that everything you have said actually happens at the grassroots? How will you ensure monitoring, evaluation, and reporting from the field feed into your reports to the President? And how do you cascade this mindset across your staff members, so it is not just all roads leading back to Abuja?
Dr Adedokun Adebowale: We have already decentralised. The thresholds for MDAs are clear. Agencies have approval limits; they do not need to come to us. From advertisement to completion, they can manage it, as long as they follow the rules. We only get involved when they want to skip advertisement, they must then justify that. But if you choose to advertise, start and finish your process. Full stop.
Otega Ogra: And by advertising, you mean publication in two national dailies and on your website, correct?
Dr Adedokun Adebowale: Exactly. No need to come to BPP. We do not even want to see contractors hanging around our office.
Otega Ogra: I noticed. When I came this morning, the usual crowd outside the BPP office was not there.
Dr Adedokun Adebowale: You will not see them. We now deliver efficiently. If you qualify, we will approve your request. If not, we will still give you a clear answer. And within 20 working days. That is our new benchmark.
Otega Ogra: Wait. Did you just say 20 days? I recall it used to take three to six months.
Dr Adedokun Adebowale: That was then. This is the new BPP. If you meet the requirements, we guarantee a decision within 20 days.
Otega Ogra: Do you have data to support that claim?
Dr Adedokun Adebowale: From November to now, no file has spent more than 20 days in our office. None. That is the data. You can verify with the MDAs.
■ Defining Success, Building Trust
Otega Ogra: What would success look like to you?
Dr Adedokun Adebowale: Success for me, and my team of 18, is to hear the President himself say: BPP has changed. That would be the highest honour.
Otega Ogra: I believe your reports are already getting to him.
Dr Adedokun Adebowale: Yes, and the second kind of success I want is public trust. I want Nigerians to say: BPP is clean. That you do not need to bribe anyone. And we are already seeing that. Just the other day, someone from London said it is no longer business as usual at BPP. And they are right. Another marker of success? I want to see fully implemented projects in every corner of Nigeria, evidence that our rules are working, and that good governance is real, not just a slogan.
Otega Ogra: That is quite ambitious.
Dr Adedokun Adebowale: It is. But we are aiming high. Digitalisation is a big part of that. We want to generate revenue through our innovations. We want to see big private companies, those listed on the stock exchange, bidding for public contracts. That will raise the bar, increase competition, drive up quality, and attract serious players. If we build trust, they will come. We have seen it happen before, foreign companies making direct enquiries via our website. We are bringing that back.
Otega Ogra: That would be a powerful turnaround.
Dr Adedokun Adebowale: We are also working closely with civil society and professional bodies. I want them to say: BPP is professional. The process is fair. That is another benchmark. And we are not just talking; we have already saved over ₦103 billion in five weeks by using price intelligence and benchmarking tools. In USD? $23 million saved. In euros? €115,000. In just five weeks. That is real.
■ Procurement as Nation-Building
Otega Ogra: That is incredible. So, success is already here.
Dr Adedokun Adebowale: Yes, and procurement officers across the country are breathing easier. Their mental health has improved because they know BPP has their back. Even anti-corruption agencies now trust us. They see that we are preventing corruption, not just reacting to it.
Otega Ogra: So, what should Nigerians take from this?
Dr Adedokun Adebowale: That we are here to serve. That we will call out infractions. That we will not hide, and we do not want anyone to shield us either. If we fall short, tell us. We will own it. We will fix it. And we are aligning with institutions such as FIRS, NSITF, PENCOM, and ITF. Contractors who do not pay their dues will not do business with the government, simple. Because of our insistence on compliance, over ₦14 trillion has been generated through proper channels. And soon, BPP itself will become a revenue-generating agency. That is good for our GDP. That is good for Nigeria.
Otega Ogra: Are you documenting all this? Because building trust also requires visibility, monthly and quarterly reports, for instance.
Dr Adedokun Adebowale: Absolutely. We already published annual reports, but we are scaling up to quarterly ones. We will publish performance records on our website. Our 2023 annual report is ready and contains all the certificates of no objection issued. We are working on the 2024 version. Enlightened citizens should pick up these reports. They will see what each ministry is doing. Just pick it up and go to the field.
Otega Ogra: I will definitely check your website.
Dr Adedokun Adebowale: Please do. www.bpp.gov.ng. Everything is there. Standard bidding documents, procurement regulations, and educational materials for contractors, CSOs, observers. We have even created a monitoring and evaluation dashboard for the President. He will be able to see what every MDA is doing, in real time. No one can hide. Not us, not anyone.
Otega Ogra: That is bold.
Dr Adedokun Adebowale: It is the only way. We are also working with all 36 states and the local governments. We are helping them with policies that enable financial autonomy and proper procurement. We are enabling, not enforcing. A national procurement conference is also in the works. We want to showcase our progress to the world. Nigeria’s procurement story is not a failure. It is a work in progress. And it is already yielding results.
Otega Ogra: That is a good place to end. We all serve at the pleasure of one presidency and one president. My job is to support you, so long as you continue the work the President appointed you to do.
Dr Adedokun Adebowale: And I assure you, we will. We are also partnering universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, building capacity through the NUC. We are training new procurement officers, equipping them with a fresh mindset, and rolling out a holistic, 360-degree programme that will transform how Nigeria spends public funds.
Otega Ogra: Thank you. Just when I thought we were done, you pulled out the shakabula! That final blast of insight. I truly hope this momentum continues.
