Public Procurement: Beyond Buying and Selling- A Call for Citizen Engagement
Author
Femi Gegele AIG Public Leaders Programme Alumnus, Finance & Procurement Affinity Group
“If corruption is a disease, transparency is a central part of its treatment.” — Kofi Annan
Ever wondered why a newly built road develops potholes within months, or why hospital renovations stall even after funds are approved? These are not random occurrences. They are the visible cracks of a broken procurement system, one that determines how public resources are planned, spent, and accounted for. When procurement fails, projects collapse, resources are wasted, and citizens lose faith in government. But when it works, schools are furnished, hospitals receive drugs, and infrastructure stands the test of time.
Public procurement is often misunderstood as a mere exercise in buying and selling — a bureaucratic routine confined to paperwork and contracts. In truth, it is one of the most strategic functions of governance. It is through procurement that the government translates budgets into real, tangible services. Every borehole dug, every kilometre of road paved, every vaccine supplied, and every communication, navigation and surveillance equipment procured for the Nigerian airspace passes through the procurement process. It is, quite literally, the government’s shopping list, one that affects every citizen, every day.
Understanding Public Procurement
The Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007 defines procurement as the acquisition of goods, works, and services by government through any means. But this definition only scratches the surface. Procurement is an economic tool, accounting for an estimated 10-15% of Nigeria’s GDP; a social tool, delivering public goods like schools, hospitals, and ICT systems; and a governance tool, linking national budgets to results and public trust.
Every public servant, not just procurement officers, plays a role in this process. From those who identify needs and prepare budgets to those who approve, supervise, and implement projects, the procurement chain cuts across every level of the public service. Understanding this interconnectedness is crucial, because procurement decisions determine how efficiently national resources are used and how effectively government policies are implemented.
That is why it is essential for public servants at all levels to understand the procurement cycle, especially stages such as needs assessment, procurement planning, budgeting, tender evaluation, contract implementation, and post-procurement review. Equally important is knowledge of the approved procurement methods under the Act and the approval thresholds for various categories of expenditure. Without this foundational understanding, even the most well-intentioned officers can make costly procedural errors that delay projects or create opportunities for abuse.
Why Ethical Procurement Matters
Nigeria’s procurement reforms were born out of necessity. In 2000, the World Bank’s Country Procurement Assessment Report on Nigeria exposed serious weaknesses in transparency, accountability, and value delivery. This led to the establishment of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) in 2007 and the enactment of the Public Procurement Act as the legal framework designed to promote fairness, competition, and efficiency.
Yet, challenges persist: political interference, weak capacity across MDAs, delayed funding, corruption risks, and resistance to technology platforms like the Nigeria Open Contracting Portal (NOCOPO). These bottlenecks erode public trust and undermine development. When contracts are awarded based on favouritism rather than merit, citizens ultimately pay the price through inflated costs, substandard projects, and services that fail to meet their needs.
Ethical procurement is not just an administrative obligation; it is a moral imperative. It ensures that public resources, our common wealth, and in many cases our common debt, are used responsibly. It is the difference between a bridge that stands for decades and one that collapses after a single rainy season. It is the difference between progress and paralysis.
Importantly, the Public Procurement Act contains provisions to enforce accountability. Sections 58 prescribe disciplinary and criminal sanctions for public officers or contractors who violate procurement rules, including debarment, fines, or imprisonment for offences such as bid rigging, collusion, and contract fraud. These provisions remind all stakeholders that compliance and transparency are not optional virtues; they are legal obligations.
A Glimpse of Ethical Procurement in Action
Imagine this: the Federal Government embarks on a project to rehabilitate Nigeria’s refineries, a high-stakes endeavour central to the country’s economic recovery and energy security. Now consider a scenario where, in this national assignment, every stakeholder involved in public procurement is guided by the principles of ethics, compliance, and integrity. Each decision, contract, and implementation process reflects transparency and accountability.
Amid pressures from vested interests and political influence, the procurement officers insist on open competitive bidding, conduct rigorous due diligence on all shortlisted firms, and ensure that the contract is awarded strictly based on technical competence, proven track record, and financial capacity.
The outcome is a transparently executed contract that leads to functional refineries, reduced fuel importation, and improved local employment opportunities. The government earns public confidence; the energy sector gains renewed efficiency; and national resources are used to deliver lasting value.
This is what ethical procurement looks like in practice: a system that serves the public interest, not private gain.
The Citizen’s Role: From Bystander to Watchdog
For too long, public procurement has been treated as a government affair. But in truth, it belongs to the people. Citizens have both the right and responsibility to demand transparency and accountability. They are not passive beneficiaries; they are co-owners of the system.
This civic duty becomes even more urgent with the new tax law set to take effect in January 2026, which will broaden the tax base and increase citizen participation in national revenue. As more Nigerians contribute directly to the public purse, they must also demand greater accountability for how those funds are utilised. Procurement, after all, is financed by taxpayers’ money, and every citizen has a stake in ensuring that those resources are spent efficiently and honestly.
There are several ways Nigerians can take part in strengthening public procurement:
Ask questions about how projects are awarded and executed. Under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011, every government agency is legally required to make available details of its procurement plans, processes, and contract awards. Citizens and stakeholders have the right to request this information, track expenditures, and follow the money to ensure accountability and value for public funds.
Tools like the Nigeria Open Contracting Portal(NOCOPO) provide access to information on public projects. By tracking this data, citizens can see who got what contract and whether projects are delivered as promised.
Civil society organisations and investigative journalists play a vital role in monitoring government spending. Supporting their work strengthens accountability and amplifies citizen voices.
When irregularities are observed, they should be reported through official channels such as the BPP or anti-corruption agencies like the ICPC and EFCC. Silence only perpetuates impunity.
Bridging the Gap: Public Servants and Citizens as Partners
The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation alumni upskilling programme is a quarterly series designed for African public servants who have completed the AIG Public Leaders Programme or received AIG Scholarships. Through this initiative, the foundation continues to strengthen the capacity of its alumni. The recently concluded 2025 third-quarter upskilling programme focused on ethics and integrity in public procurement. Participants gained the knowledge, skills, and ethical grounding needed to drive reform from within their institutions. However, lasting systemic change cannot depend on public officials alone. It requires active collaboration with citizens who understand their stake in ensuring transparent and accountable public procurement.Hence, public servants must continue to uphold the principles of integrity, transparency, and value for money, while citizens hold them accountable to those standards. Together, they can close the trust deficit that often separates government from the governed.
Moreover, every civil servant must recognise that they are also citizens and taxpayers. The responsibility to ensure that public procurement delivers results does not end at the office door. It is a shared civic duty. Efficient procurement is the tool that can make Nigeria work, a means through which integrity, efficiency, and service delivery converge to build a nation that truly serves its people.
A Shared Call to Action
Public procurement is more than a process; it is a promise that every naira spent on behalf of the Nigerian people will deliver value, fairness, and progress. For alumni of the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation and other reform-minded public servants, the call is clear: continue to be champions of compliance, integrity, and good governance.
For citizens, the message is equally urgent: do not look away. Ask questions, follow the money, and demand results. The power to transform governance lies not only in policy reforms or institutional frameworks but in the vigilance and engagement of ordinary Nigerians who insist on ethical conduct in the management of public resources. When procurement is done right, it builds more than infrastructure; it builds trust. And in a democracy, trust is the foundation upon which every bridge, every school, and every hospital must stand.