The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has completed the training of over 800 procurement officers under its 2025/2026 Mandatory Continuous Public Procurement Capacity Development Training Programme (MCPCDTP).
The programme, held at the PTDF Centre for Skills Development and Training in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, covered two batches and was personally supervised by the Director-General of BPP, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun.
Speaking at the closing ceremony for Batch B participants, Adedokun said the initiative aligns with the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007, which seeks to promote transparency, efficiency and value for money in government procurement of goods, works and services.
He explained that the training was designed to update officers’ knowledge, enhance compliance with procurement processes, and align them with evolving standards in the sector.
“Over the last couple of years, officers have not been up to date with their knowledge and could easily have been making errors, which may not necessarily be their fault,” he said.
Adedokun added that the Tinubu administration has prioritised capacity building to ensure that procurement processes are handled at the right time, in the right place, and in the right quantity.
He emphasised that the training focuses on preventing corruption rather than merely fighting it.
“We are not fighting corruption in procurement; we are preventing corruption. When you prevent it, it won’t even happen. Procurement is the engine room for prevention of corruption,” he said.
According to him, about 90 per cent of government activities revolve around procurement, making it critical for officers to operate at the highest professional standards to avoid duplication of projects, cost escalation and poor service delivery.
Adedokun disclosed that although over 1,600 officers applied for Batch A and Batch B, only 800 who met the eligibility criteria were selected. Participants must submit improvement reports to their organisations and to BPP before final results are released.
He further revealed that the agency is collaborating with six universities to produce academically grounded procurement professionals, including graduates with BSc degrees in Procurement, Environmental Standards and Social Standards.
“Nigeria is leading the world in producing procurement professionals who have gone through academically sound and professional training,” he said.
Adedokun noted that civil society organisations and other stakeholders are also being engaged as part of efforts to professionalise the procurement ecosystem and improve service delivery.
Blessing Ibunge
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