Procurement Reform Key To Development, Says Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima has said the ongoing reforms by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are restoring the global community’s confidence in Nigeria.

This, he said, explains why people from other countries now choose to participate in professional courses such as the Professionals’ Certification Programme in Nigeria.

Shettima made the remarks yesterday during the inaugural convocation of the Professionals’ Certification Programme held at the Old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Vice President, who was represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hadejia, noted that the first cohort of certified procurement professionals is a milestone that indicates the firm resolve of the administration to implement the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He said, “On this day, we commemorate the 2,100 certified procurement professionals from Nigeria and around the globe. This is far from a trivial accomplishment. It implies that the global community is beginning to have faith in Nigeria’s reform endeavours, the program’s credibility, and the gravity of its content.

“The fact that professionals from foreign countries have elected to participate in this inaugural cohort is a clear indication that Nigeria is no longer satisfied with mediocrity in procurement practices, but is instead consciously establishing itself as a benchmark on the continent and beyond.”

In a statement by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, VP Shettima recalled that many years back, procurement in Nigeria was considered an administrative necessity that was often misinterpreted and abused.

Far from such perception, he said procurement under the present administration is at the core of governance, and that “the manner in which public resources are transformed into roads, hospitals, schools, security infrastructure, and social services is under its control.

“When procurement fails, development fails. People are adversely affected when procurement is not documented. The current administration recognises this reality and, motivated by its devotion to the nation, has elected to confront it directly,” the VP added.

The Vice President maintained that for an ambitious country like Nigeria, “the prudent, transparent, and strategic management of public resources is not a technical afterthought,” even as he pointed out that under the Renewed Hope Agenda, “it is the engine room of development.”

He continued: “It (procurement) shapes the quality of our roads and railways, the resilience of our healthcare system, the reach of our schools and universities, and ultimately the confidence citizens place in their government.

“This administration understands that truth clearly, which is why public procurement reform occupies a central place in our governance strategy.

“The Bureau of Public Procurement stands at the heart of this effort. Beyond its regulatory role, the BPP carries a deeper, more enduring responsibility: cultivating a professional, ethical, and highly competent procurement workforce. Reform cannot survive on circulars alone.”

To the graduands, VP Shettima reminded them that they are the pioneers among the graduates who bear a unique obligation due to their status as the first, just as he urged them to ensure their conscience is guided by their certification.

“Stewards of value for money and custodians of public trust, you are. In classrooms, clinics, markets, and communities throughout the nation, your decisions will have an impact on lives that may not garner headlines but will be felt.

“Let your conscience be guided by your certification. Your practice should be defined by integrity. Your compass should be the loyalty of one’s country,” the VP told the graduands.

He congratulated the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), the leadership of the SPESSE Project, the World Bank, and other Nigerian development partners, saying “the milestone should serve to fortify our institutions, re-establish public trust, and bring Nigeria closer to the nation of our dreams.”

Earlier, the Senate Committee Chairman on Procurement, Senator Olajide Ipinsagba, pledged the National Assembly’s support for the sustenance of the Nigeria Procurement Certification Programme.

He urged the graduands to uphold the highest ethical standards and apply the skills and knowledge acquired through the programme to advance the public procurement system in Nigeria.

The lawmaker noted that the project’s sustainability has laid a solid foundation for a more transparent and progressive public service, with procurement serving as a catalyst for national transformation and development.

On his part, the Director General of BPP, Dr Adebowale Adedokun, said the Nigeria Procurement Certification Programme being implemented by the agency in collaboration with development partners, is aimed at enhancing sustainable capacity building and nurturing a viable procurement culture in Nigeria’s public service.

He added that the programme serves as the special-purpose vehicle for implementing capacity-building programmes in public procurement execution and for ensuring that officers are equipped with the necessary skills to actualise the goals and objectives of the Federal Government.

The DG also announced President Tinubu’s approval for the full deployment of community-based procurement officers across the country as part of measures to ensure alignment with global standards, best practices and judicious utilisation of resources.

On his part, the National Project Coordinator, Dr Joshua Attah, who made a presentation on the history and impact of the Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement (SPESSE) Project, noted that Nigeria through the project is building a legacy that will impact procurement processes in the public and private sectors.

He said the commencement of the programme and graduation ceremony marks a historic step towards strengthening accountability in public procurement, highlighting the government’s commitment to ensuring transparency and integrity in the public service.

He noted that so far, the Centres of Excellence in Procurement have trained over 40,000 candidates in capacity building programmes, training and assessment as well as professional certification through digital learning and certification platforms developed by the BPP.

For her part, the World Bank’s Chief Procurement Officer, Ms Hiba Tahboub, said the Bank acknowledges the importance the Federal Government attaches to the programme, which she noted has manifested in consistent investment and support for the procurement function in public service.

She urged other countries in Africa to emulate the Nigerian example, which has seen the realisation of an early vision transform into a structured certification of the procurement function in Nigeria’s public service.