FG saved N1.1trn through procurement reforms in 2025 – Shettima

Vice-President Kashim Shettima says procurement reforms
introduced by the federal government saved more than N1.1 trillion in 2025.

 

Shettima spoke on Friday at the 2026 retreat for federal
permanent secretaries in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom state.

The retreat was organised by the office of the head of the
civil service of the Federation and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).

The vice-president, represented by Tunji Olaopa, chairman of
the Federal Civil Service Commission, said the reforms are part of the Tinubu
administration’s efforts to strengthen transparency, accountability and fiscal
discipline in public spending.

“So far, 23 strategic initiatives and reforms aimed at
improving transparency, accountability and fiscal discipline in Nigeria have
been introduced,” he said.

“As at the last count, some of the reforms saved the federal
government over N1.1 trillion in 2025 alone.”

Shettima said one of the reforms involved raising
procurement approval thresholds, allowing contracts below N5 billion for goods
and services and N10 billion for works to be handled by ministerial tender
boards instead of the federal executive council (FEC).

He said every “road constructed, hospital equipped, school
rehabilitated, agricultural intervention implemented and every digital platform
deployed passed through the procurement process”.

The vice-president said the administration remains committed
to reforming Nigeria’s procurement system in line with global best practices to
improve governance, budget implementation, and service delivery.

On her part, Esther Walson-Jack, the head of the civil
service of the federation, said procurement sits at the centre of governance
because it links policy, budgeting, and service delivery.

“When procurement works well, government delivers. When
procurement is delayed, weak or poorly managed, citizens feel the
consequences,” she said.

Walson-Jack said permanent secretaries, as accounting
officers and managers of procurement, have a serious responsibility for good
governance and service delivery as they are expected to ensure that procurement
processes are transparent, competitive, efficient and consistent with the
Public Procurement Act and extant regulations.

Adebowale Adedokun, director-general of the BPP, described
procurement as a key instrument of governance, saying it serves as the link
between budget approval and service delivery.

He said the quality of procurement determines the quality of
governance, as roads, hospitals, schools and security infrastructure are
delivered through the procurement process.

Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday

Advertise on NOP NIGERIA to reach thousands of our daily users