The Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, has commenced the Batch A 2026 Mandatory Continuous Public Procurement Capacity Development Training Programme for procurement officers across the Federal Public Service.
The training, being held at the Petroleum Technology Development Fund Centre for Skills Development and Training, PTDF-CSDT, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, is aimed at strengthening professionalism, transparency, accountability and value for money in public procurement.
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Declaring the programme open, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of BPP, Dr Adebowale Adedokun, said the training would equip procurement personnel with a better understanding of public procurement principles, processes, regulations, ethics and best practices under the Public Procurement Act 2007.
Representing the Director-General at the opening, the BPP Director of Training and Capacity Development said the programme was particularly important as the Federal Government continues to reform the public procurement system through digitalisation and improved procurement planning.
Dr Adedokun described procurement officers as custodians of public trust, urging them to ensure that government funds appropriated for projects and services translate into tangible benefits for citizens.
He said the programme, being conducted in two batches, would train about 700 procurement officers from across the Federal Public Service.
According to him, the reforms include the adoption of electronic government procurement, e-GP, the BPP Digital Submission Portal, standardisation of bidding documents, enhanced procurement planning and other measures aimed at improving efficiency and transparency.
The BPP Director-General stressed that public procurement should no longer be viewed merely as an administrative or procedural function, but as a strategic instrument for national development, economic growth and improved service delivery.
He said transparent and competitive procurement could create opportunities for credible businesses, strengthen investor confidence, support small and medium-sized enterprises and promote local production and job creation.
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Dr Adedokun urged procurement officers to uphold the highest standards of ethics and integrity, noting that no procurement reform could succeed without professional conduct and strict adherence to established regulations.
Also speaking, the representative of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, Professor Babatunde Bernard, said effective procurement was essential to translating government budgets and policies into infrastructure and services that directly affect Nigerians.
He urged procurement entities to embrace digital technology to enhance transparency and efficiency, while stressing the need for effective internal controls, professional competence and compliance with existing laws.
The representative declared the Batch A 2026 Mandatory Continuous Public Procurement Capacity Development Training Programme open.
The Director-General of BPP, Rivers State, Dr Engineer Ine T. Briggs, commended the Federal BPP for strengthening procurement capacity and addressing knowledge gaps through the mandatory training programme.
She said collaboration between federal and state procurement authorities was necessary to improve knowledge sharing and professional standards, adding that Rivers State remained committed to embracing innovations in public procurement.
The representative of the Executive Secretary of PTDF, Mr Waziri Laisu, said the organisation remained committed to capacity building in Nigeria through human capacity development, institutional capacity strengthening and centres of excellence.
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He congratulated the BPP, facilitators and participants and urged the procurement officers to maximise the opportunity provided by the training.
The three-day programme is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen procurement professionalism and ensure that public resources are managed transparently and efficiently for improved development outcomes.