The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) have called for stronger ethical standards, deeper institutional collaboration and sustained professional capacity development to strengthen Nigeria’s procurement sector and protect public resources.
The call was made on Thursday in Abuja during “The Great Conversation Executive Roundtable,” organised by the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply at the Abuja Continental Hotel.
The event brought together procurement professionals, policymakers, industry leaders and representatives of professional bodies to discuss the future of procurement and supply management in Nigeria and across the globe.
Speaking at the event, the Country Director of CIPS Nigeria, Chukwudi Uche, said procurement and supply management had evolved beyond operational support to become a strategic driver of national development, accountability and institutional performance.
According to him, procurement now sits at the centre of value creation, responsible public expenditure, risk management, supply chain resilience and sustainability.
“Procurement and supply professionals are increasingly expected to operate not merely as administrators, but as strategic advisors and transformational leaders,” he said.
Uche, however, noted that despite progress within the profession, procurement leadership remained underrepresented in executive decision-making spaces.
“Capability gaps persist in areas such as strategic sourcing, analytics, digital procurement transformation, and stakeholder influence.
“In some institutions, procurement continues to be viewed as a transactional or support function, rather than the strategic driver that it should be,” he said.
He explained that the roundtable was designed to promote collaboration and frank engagement among stakeholders toward strengthening procurement and supply management in Nigeria.
Uche also described the visit of the Global CEO of CIPS, Ben Farrell, as a reflection of Nigeria’s growing importance within the global procurement and supply ecosystem.
According to him, Farrell’s visit forms part of CIPS’ broader commitment to engaging industry leaders and policymakers through “The Great Conversation” initiative.
In his remarks, the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, Adebowale Adedokun, said ethical procurement practices had become increasingly critical as Nigeria continued to invest heavily in infrastructure and social development.
“We need professional bodies who have embedded good ethical practices in their work programmes. Nigeria is building roads, constructing hospitals and buying medical equipment.
“The people responsible for these processes must be professionals committed to ethically sound practices that CIPS represents,” Adedokun said.
He said the partnership between BPP and CIPS would help government access global best practices, credible technical advice and ethical oversight in procurement processes.
“If we are going to buy goods and services located anywhere in the world, we can rely on our partners to give us the best professional advice.
“They can help ensure that those engaged in procurement have met ethical standards so as to prevent loss of value, fake products and quackery,” he said.
Adedokun added that the Federal Government was working to bridge the gap between the public and private sectors in procurement management.
“Before now, we have been staying parallel. Things could go wrong because there was no synergy.
“But now we are closing the gap to be on the same page. Whoever is going to do business with government must know that he is accountable not only to the regulatory body, but also to the professional body,” he said.
The BPP boss also disclosed plans to introduce procurement education and ethical training at secondary school and university levels.
“We are collaborating with CIPS on how to build mentorship programmes and develop career counselling for our youth.
“Nigeria is populated with 70 per cent youth, so why don’t we train them in this direction?” he asked.
According to him, the initiative would help produce a new generation of ethical procurement professionals capable of reducing wastage and promoting transparency in government contracts.
The event also featured the presentation of the CIPS Ethical Procurement and Supply Award to MEBS Global in recognition of its commitment to transparency, accountability and professional excellence in supply chain operations.
The roundtable further witnessed the conferment of a Lifetime Membership Award on Dr. Bola Afolabi for his contributions to procurement reform, supply chain management and professional development.
Organisers described Afolabi as “an extraordinary leader, scholar, mentor and trailblazer” whose career had shaped procurement practice across Nigeria, Africa and the global stage.
It was gathered that Afolabi became the first African Council Member, the first non-European Vice President and the first person of colour to serve as Global President of CIPS.
Farrell, who assumed office as Global CEO of CIPS in October 2024, was also described as a transformational leader championing procurement as a strategic tool for resilience, ethical leadership and sustainable growth globally.
