The Federal Government says reforms in Nigeria’s public procurement system saved more than ₦1.1 trillion in 2025, as it moves to tighten oversight and ensure public funds translate into completed projects. The disclosure was made at the opening of the 2026 Permanent Secretaries’ Procurement Retreat in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom……
The Federal Government says reforms in Nigeria’s public procurement system saved more than ₦1.1 trillion in 2025, as it moves to tighten oversight and ensure public funds translate into completed projects.
The disclosure was made at the opening of the 2026 Permanent Secretaries’ Procurement Retreat in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, where senior government officials reiterated the Tinubu administration’s commitment to transparency, accountability and improved budget implementation.
Declaring the retreat open on behalf of Vice President Kashim Shettima, Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Professor Tunji Olaopa, said procurement reforms introduced by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) had delivered significant savings to government while strengthening fiscal discipline.
He said the reforms, which include revised procurement thresholds, the Nigeria First Policy, the Debarment Policy and the rollout of electronic government procurement, saved the Federal Government more than ₦1.1 trillion in 2025 alone.
Providing further insight into the reforms, Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, said the savings were achieved through improved price intelligence and budget evaluation.
According to him, the Bureau has also recorded average savings of about ₦8 billion every week since January 2026, adding that the reforms are helping to improve transparency, accountability and value for money in public spending.
He noted that the Bureau has introduced 23 procurement reform initiatives, including the planned amendment of the Public Procurement Act, deployment of electronic government procurement, contractor classification, food procurement standardisation and the establishment of additional zonal offices to strengthen compliance nationwide.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, said the Federal Government would strictly enforce procurement regulations, warning that public officials who violate established procedures would face sanctions.
He also vowed that anyone involved in procurement fraud would be prosecuted, stressing that effective procurement remains critical to delivering roads, hospitals, schools, security infrastructure and other public services.
Also speaking, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, urged Permanent Secretaries to ensure government budgets translate into tangible results for citizens.
She said procurement delays, weak documentation and poor contract management continue to undermine budget implementation, stressing that government reforms must be reflected in timely project delivery.
The four-day retreat, organised by the Bureau of Public Procurement in collaboration with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, brings together Permanent Secretaries, the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Auditor-General for the Federation and Directors of Procurement to strengthen procurement leadership and align implementation of the 2026 budget with national development priorities.
Participants are expected to develop practical recommendations aimed at improving procurement governance, enhancing accountability and accelerating the delivery of government projects across Ministries, Departments and Agencies.