FG dismisses US claim of opacity in procurement system

The Federal Government has faulted a United States report which alleged that Nigeria lacks transparency in the award of public procurement contracts.

The 2025 Fiscal Transparency Report, released by the U.S. Department of State, had listed Nigeria among 69 countries yet to meet minimum requirements on fiscal openness. It said while the country publishes budget documents and debt data, it fails to provide accessible information on public procurement contracts.

The report also accused the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation of failing to publish comprehensive budget execution reports, blaming this on weak institutional independence.

But the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) dismissed the allegations, insisting that the reforms of the Tinubu administration have sanitised the process and strengthened accountability.

BPP fires back

BPP Director-General, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, said the claim does not reflect current realities, noting that in the last one and a half years, contract awards had followed due process as provided by the Procurement Act.

He said: “Contracts are being advertised, bidding is competitive and transparent, and agencies like ICPC, EFCC, the Police and Code of Conduct Bureau are actively prosecuting breaches of procurement rules.”

The DG added that Nigeria has embraced price benchmarking, civil society participation, and professional monitoring to ensure value for money.

He disclosed that the Federal Government is transiting to electronic government procurement and has raised approval limits for ministries and agencies to decentralise the process.

Capacity building, oversight

According to him, procurement officers nationwide are undergoing training to build capacity and strengthen reporting of infractions, while BPP has been empowered to conduct audits across the federation.

Adedokun argued that the U.S. report may have been based on outdated data, stressing that Nigeria has recorded major improvements.

“Even foreign companies are now bidding and winning contracts in Nigeria without physical presence. They apply, bid, get awarded, and execute projects online. If that is not transparency, what is?” he said.

He added that government has introduced affirmative action, creating space for women, youth and persons with disabilities to participate in procurement processes.

Background

The U.S. Fiscal Transparency Report assessed 139 countries and the Palestinian Authority. Of these, 71 were found to have met minimum fiscal transparency standards, while 69—including Nigeria—were adjudged not to have met them.

The report emphasised that to qualify as transparent, governments must make procurement contracts and audit reports accessible, ensure independence of audit institutions, and publish full debt and budget data within reasonable timeframes.

But the BPP maintained that Nigeria has turned the corner, pledging further reforms to entrench transparency and accountability.