BPP saves Nigeria N1.9trn from contract fraud

The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has saved Nigeria N1.9 trillion from contract fraud over the years, its Director-General, Adebowale Adedokun, disclosed this on Thursday.

Adedokun made this revelation in Abuja during the Agency’s budget defence session before the Senate Committee on Public Procurement.

Highlighting the Agency’s achievements, the BPP boss described the institution, established on June 14, 2007, as a critical player in Nigeria’s fight against corruption, particularly in public contract awards, inflated costs, and diversion of funds.

“BPP has, over the last 17 years, transformed the public procurement landscape in Nigeria by ensuring transparency, fairness, and efficiency in contract awards and execution.

‘’The agency has been saving the country an average of N40 billion annually from contract inflation, fund diversion, and poor service delivery,” Adedokun stated.

He added that the Agency’s price intelligence unit had recorded a total savings of N1.9 trillion, which would otherwise have been lost to fraudulent practices.

The BPP has also significantly increased revenue generation for agencies such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the National Pension Commission (PENCOM).

However, Adedokun lamented the Bureau’s limited budgetary allocation. While the BPP proposed N63.5 billion for its 2025 capital budget, the Budget Office allocated only N1.57 billion.

He noted that the insufficient funds would hamper efforts to address critical needs, including staff accommodation, the replacement of outdated project monitoring vehicles procured in 2008, and the rollout of an electronic procurement program.

In their remarks, members of the Senate Committee, chaired by Olajide Ipinsagba (APC Senator Ondo North), expressed concerns about the Bureau’s capacity to effectively oversee contract awards and implementation across more than 800 Government Agencies with just 158 employees.

Therefore, the Committee directed the BPP to include provisions for hiring additional workers in its 2025 budget to enhance its operational efficiency.