NRS, BPP intensify efforts to align procurement with ongoing reforms

The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) have intensified efforts to align procurement processes with current realities and ongoing reforms.

On Tuesday in Abuja, the two agencies began discussions on the proposed amendment of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

Speaking during a strategic engagement between the agencies at the NRS headquarters in Abuja, the Executive Chairman of the NRS, Zacch Adedeji, explained that the proposed amendment would help address challenges in public procurement and ensure that government spending delivers value to Nigerians.

Adedeji solicited contributions from stakeholders to the review, noting that a technical committee would be needed to examine the law and identify areas requiring amendment.

“We need to look at the Public Procurement Act and see how we can revalidate it to reflect the current realities. This is an engagement, and we need everybody to contribute to the process.

“We are just starting this engagement, and we need to set up a technical committee that will look at the Act and make recommendations on what needs to be done.”

Adedeji emphasised that effective procurement was essential to ensuring that public funds were properly utilised.

“When people pay taxes, they expect to see the value of what they have paid for. If projects are abandoned or do not deliver what they are meant to deliver, then the money collected from the people has not achieved its purpose,” he said.

In his address, the Director-General of the BPP, Dr Adebowale Adedokun, expressed the bureau’s commitment to supporting reforms that would improve public procurement and accelerate project delivery.

Speaking on the proposed bill, Adedokun noted that the amendment would provide an opportunity for Nigeria to address challenges in the existing framework and introduce measures to make procurement more responsive to government and economic needs.

“The Bureau of Public Procurement is not a bottleneck. We are an enabler. We are here to solve problems and ensure that procurement supports the delivery of government projects,” he said.

“We want to have a system where the entire procurement process, from needs assessment to payment, can be digitised. This will improve transparency, accountability and efficiency in the way government conducts procurement.”

He reaffirmed the importance of electronic procurement, community-based procurement, sector-specific procurement and affirmative procurement for youths, persons with disabilities and veterans among the reforms being considered.

Adedokun stressed that procurement decisions should prioritise value for money rather than simply choosing the lowest bidder.

“We are not after the lowest cost; we are after value for money. The objective is to ensure that what government pays for delivers the quality and benefits expected.”

The Director-General said that reviewing procurement thresholds and approval limits could help accelerate project execution while maintaining compliance with established rules.