The Nigerian government has dismissed a recent U.S. report alleging a lack of transparency in its public procurement processes, describing the claim as “false and outdated.”
Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, said ongoing reforms under President Bola Tinubu’s administration have strengthened accountability and sanitised contract awards across ministries and agencies.
“In the last one and a half years, contract awards have strictly followed due process and the Procurement Act. Tenders are advertised, bids are competitive, and approvals are transparent,” Adedokun told journalists.
He added that oversight agencies — including the ICPC, EFCC, the Police, and the Code of Conduct Bureau — are actively investigating and prosecuting violations of the procurement law.
The BPP chief argued that the U.S. assessment failed to take recent reforms into account, noting that procurement has been decentralised, thresholds for approvals raised, and civil society groups brought into monitoring and evaluation.
He highlighted examples of foreign firms winning contracts without physical presence in Nigeria as evidence of openness in the process. “They submitted bids online, won transparently, and are executing projects without knowing anyone in Nigeria,” he said.
Adedokun further disclosed that Nigeria is transitioning to full electronic government procurement and reviewing procurement laws to address gaps. He also pointed to new measures ensuring broader inclusion of women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
“Transparency is not just about compliance; it is about confidence. Contractors are now reporting infractions directly to the BPP, and we are reversing wrongly awarded contracts. Nigeria is on the threshold of total transparency,” he said.
While acknowledging that more improvements are needed, Adedokun maintained that significant progress has been made in rebuilding confidence in the system.
