The Bureau of Public Procurement has announced plans to intensify enforcement of procurement laws by blacklisting contractors who breach established rules, as part of wider reforms aimed at improving transparency and accountability in public contracting across Nigeria.
The Director-General of the BPP, Dr Adebowale Adedokun, made this known on Thursday in Abuja during the inaugural Procurement Evolution Day, which marked 19 years of procurement reforms in the country.
Adedokun said the bureau has introduced a debarment framework that empowers the government to sanction and blacklist defaulting contractors operating both within Nigeria and internationally.
He stated, “The government has indeed provided a policy of debarment to strictly sanction any contractors nationally and globally.”
According to him, the initiative forms part of broader efforts to curb procurement irregularities, enforce compliance, and protect public funds from abuse and fraudulent practices.
The BPP chief also disclosed that the bureau has recently been granted expanded authority to handle cases involving contract violations and fraudulent claims in collaboration with relevant oversight institutions.
“Only recently, we have received, for the first time, direct approval to BPP to carry out all issues of contract violation and fraudulent claims,” he said.
Adedokun explained that a 14-working-day standstill period has been introduced within procurement processes to allow parties resolve disputes before contract execution proceeds.
“We’ve now provided a standstill period of 14 working days, wherein all issues in contractual disputes must be resolved,” he stated.
He further said that Ministries, Departments and Agencies will now be required to publish details of all contract awards monthly and submit quarterly performance reports to enhance transparency and accountability.
“In order to ensure projects are implemented in accordance with the terms of contracts, we have agreed that all MDAs must publish all contracts on their websites and on the website of BPP every month and must forward quarterly reports,” he said.
Adedokun also revealed that the bureau is developing a national procurement transformation strategy to standardise procurement reforms across federal, state, and local government levels.
He noted that procurement processes have been largely digitised, with physical document submissions now phased out.
“In the last one year, we no longer receive hard copies of requests. Now, it is direct transmission digitally to the Bureau of Public Procurement,” he said.
The BPP boss disclosed that more than 4,000 procurement officers have been captured in a centralised database to strengthen oversight and accountability within the system.
He added that the Federal Government’s Nigeria First policy is being expanded to prioritise local content across key sectors such as automobiles, textiles, ICT, renewable energy, and agriculture.
According to him, the policy is already producing results in the automotive sector, where public institutions are increasingly encouraged to procure locally assembled vehicles.
Adedokun further said that new procurement frameworks are being developed to support women-owned businesses, startups, vulnerable groups, and local communities.
He explained that sector-specific procurement guidelines are also being designed for infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, education, and ICT to improve efficiency and project outcomes.
He stated that procurement officers now operate under stricter accountability measures following the restoration of career management oversight to the bureau, warning that sanctions will be applied to those who violate procurement regulations.
Adedokun also disclosed that six universities are currently running programmes in sustainable procurement, environmental standards, and social compliance to build professional capacity in the sector.
Speaking at the event, former Director-General of the BPP, Dr Emeka Ezeh, called for stronger contract management systems, stricter enforcement of sanctions, and improved monitoring of public projects to sustain procurement reforms.
Ezeh, who reviewed the evolution of procurement reforms from the Budget Monitoring and Price Intelligence Unit to the establishment of the BPP in 2007, noted that challenges such as contract manipulation, weak oversight, and budget distortions remain persistent and require continued attention.
He warned that delays in payments to contractors often lead to higher project costs due to inflation and risk pricing.
The former BPP chief also urged greater collaboration among procurement agencies, anti-corruption bodies, and civil society organisations to ensure reforms deliver value for money and strengthen national development outcomes.
He added that public procurement remains a critical tool for reducing corruption, improving service delivery, and ensuring efficient use of public resources.
