The Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, Adebowale Adedokun, has disclosed that from March 2, 2026, contractors bidding for public projects will be required to submit their bids electronically as part of efforts to enhance transparency and accountability in the procurement system.
Adedokun said the measure became necessary due to persistent irregularities in Nigeria’s procurement process, which he described as a major hindrance to national development.
He made this known on Thursday at a stakeholders’ forum held in Ikeja, Lagos State, as part of a consultative exercise with critical stakeholders in the sector and the unveiling of the Methodology for Assessing Procurement Systems.
The forum, organised in partnership with the United Kingdom-based Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Engagement, brought together contractors, suppliers, and civil society organisations to deliberate on challenges affecting the public procurement process.
Speaking at the event, the DG emphasised that public procurement remained central to national development, as it determined the quality of infrastructure and social services delivered to citizens.
He noted, however, that the system had been plagued by irregularities over the years, making reforms inevitable. According to him, the new MAP system would integrate technology into the procurement process in line with the reform agenda of Bola Tinubu.
“The procurement system is something that has to be totally overhauled, and in overhauling procurement, certain people will not be happy, including procurement officers.
“The development of Nigeria hinges on how effective our procurement processes are. No nation can develop when procurement is seen as transactional. Procurement is the tool for change in this country,” he said.
Highlighting reforms already initiated by the agency, Adedokun disclosed that the BPP had concluded plans to commence full electronic submission of bids to eliminate human interference beginning March 2, 2026.
“Effectively, from March 2, we are going fully into e-submission. What this means is that no government agency can submit anything manually to the BPP anymore, and, by extension, they have also been directed to create an online submission platform in their MDAs. At BPP, it is now mandatory for MDAs to begin to request their contractors to submit electronically,” he stated.
Also speaking at the forum, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the state Director-General of the Public Procurement Agency, Fatai Onafowote, said Lagos had long recognised the importance of technology in procurement, which informed its earlier adoption of digital processes.
He said the use of technology in public procurement would enhance efficiency and transparency, adding that the BPP’s decision was a step in the right direction.
“We have done it, and we realised that it works and it can work in any other state. The BPP national, as the big brother, is going to encourage all states of the federation to adopt this system that is working, and that is why we can say Lagos State is leading the pack in ensuring that technology drives the process,” he added.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Procurement, Senator Olajide Ipinsagba, pledged legislative support for the reforms, noting that it was necessary for the BPP to set up a team to work with lawmakers in driving the changes.
Similarly, a representative of PACE, Chioma Itodo, said the organisation was committed to supporting the BPP in advancing comprehensive procurement reforms.
She explained that the MAP system would enable a holistic assessment of the procurement framework by identifying strengths, weaknesses, and reform priorities across legal frameworks, institutional capacity, market practices, transparency, and accountability mechanisms. The highlight of the forum included a question-and-answer session to address stakeholders’ concerns.
