Speaking with journalists, the Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, stated that since the establishment 17 years ago, the Bureau has saved Nigeria N1.9 trillion from contract fraud.
Speaking at the BPP’s budget defense session with the Senate Committee on Public Procurement in Abuja on Thursday, Adedokun made the disclosure.
He also highlighted the agency’s role in fighting corruption, particularly in contract award, inflation and diversion of public funds.
Landmark approaches to procurement
Dr Adedokun said, The BPP has altered public procurement in Nigeria for the better as he disclosed that the BPP has made public procurement process far more transparent, fair and more efficient.
“The BPP has saved the country at least N40b yearly because it curbs contract inflation, diverts public funds and poor service delivery.” ‘We have prevented N1.9 trillion from being diverted to personal pockets,’ he said of records from our price intelligence unit.
The agency has also increased revenue generation for agencies such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Nigeria Pension Commission, he added.
Challenges facing The Bureau
In spite of these achievements, Adedokun noted that funding was not up to speed. The budget office allocated only N1.57 billion for the 2025 capital vote by the BPP, which proposed N63.5 billion.
Adedokun explained that the paltry figure will not address the bureau’s pressing issues, including staff accommodation, replacing project monitoring vehicles purchased in 2008, and rolling out the e-procurement program.
Calls for workforce expansion
But with only 158 workers, the bureau has not been able to effectively monitor over 800 government agencies, according to concerns raised by the Senate Committee on Public Procurement chaired by Senator Olajide Ipinsagba.
Its 2025 budget proposal is to make certain that the BPP will have more staff so that it’s more effective.
