The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) is set to begin issuing practice licenses to individuals and organisations engaged in procurement training across Nigeria, in a move aimed at sanitising the sector and promoting professionalism.
Director-General of the BPP, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, disclosed the plan during a keynote address at the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) National Workshop held in Enugu on July 31. According to a statement released by the Bureau’s Head of Public Relations, Zira Zakka Nagga, on Tuesday, the initiative seeks to eliminate unqualified trainers and institutionalise a new generation of skilled procurement professionals.
Adedokun explained that licensing will ensure quality and standardisation in procurement training, creating a more credible and efficient pipeline of practitioners. He stressed that such regulation was necessary to address the proliferation of substandard training providers and reinforce the integrity of the procurement process.
In a related development, the BPP is also finalising a debarment procedure in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice to sanction individuals and entities found guilty of violating procurement laws. The enforcement mechanism, Adedokun said, is part of a broader strategy to raise standards through accountability and legal backing.
Citing recent reforms, the Director-General pointed to the upgrade of the Nigerian Open Contracting Portal (NOCOPO), which he said saved the country over N173 billion within six months through improved transparency and price intelligence.
He also announced the rollout of 17 newly revised Standard Bidding Documents (SBDs) that now serve as mandatory templates for public procurement under the law. These documents, which span goods, consultancy, infrastructure, and defence, are expected to promote fairness and competitive bidding.
Additional reforms include the implementation of electronic procurement systems to limit manual interference, a move that has reportedly reduced processing times by up to 300 percent. Adedokun also highlighted elevated approval thresholds and strategic collaborations with international organisations such as the World Bank and the UNDP as indicators of progress.
The BPP chief called on Quantity Surveyors and other professionals to actively support procurement audits nationwide, urging them to champion transparency, value-for-money, and accountability.
He previewed new initiatives targeting small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as policies tailored to promote community-based procurement and revive the long-dormant National Procurement Conference. According to him, procurement should no longer be seen as a bureaucratic burden but as a critical lever for national development.
The NIQS workshop brought together procurement experts, academics, and policymakers committed to driving governance reforms and professional excellence across the country.
