The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote the Nigeria First policy of the Federal Government.
The MoU signed in Abuja on Monday is considered a major step forward in support of the Federal Government’s public procurement reform agenda to strengthen the country’s procurement capacity.
The MoU was signed during a high-level meeting between the Director General of BPP, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, and the CIPS CEO, Mr. Ben Farrell at the BPP headquarters.
BPP said the agreement marks a strategic partnership to elevate procurement professionalism, promote ethical standards, and strengthen capacity across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) by prioritising local content, indigenous expertise, and transparency in procurement activities in the country
The procurement agency said the partnership was designed to, among other things, promote the “Nigeria First” policy across all procurement functions; expand knowledge, certification, and professionalism in public procurement; institutionalise ethical standards aligned with global best practices, and drive reform and capacity building across government institutions.
Under the terms of the MoU, CIPS and BPP would collaborate to promote ethical procurement standards using the CIPS Code of Ethics; deliver joint training and professional development programmes across MDAs, and leverage CIPS’ global networks to support Nigeria’s procurement reform efforts.
Also, the highlights of the agreement showed the two agencies would regularly showcase joint achievements locally and internationally;!increase the proportion of professionally qualified procurement staff in the public sector; serve as a trusted advisory body to BPP for strategic procurement initiatives, while exploring donor-funded projects and other shared interests that enhance public procurement outcomes.
Following the MoU, Mr. Farrell led the CIPS team to meet with the Chief Supply Chain Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC),Mr. Isokariari, to discuss issues on capacity building and reducing the cost barriers to professional membership and certification.
The NNPC team acknowledged support from Harley Reed and requested expanded collaboration with CIPS.
The team also met with the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, at the end of which an invitation was extended to Mr. Farrell to serve as a featured speaker at the upcoming Conference of Civil Servants.
Talks focused on professionalising procurement within the public service.
Besides, the team held meetings with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, and the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, to reaffirm the federal government’s interest in strengthening procurement systems across all sectors.
The CIPS renewed its commitment to supporting the Federal government in achieving transparent, accountable, and value-driven procurement practices.
The MoU with BPP is expected to serve as a cornerstone in Nigeria’s journey towards a professionalised and ethical procurement system aligned with global standards.
