The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) have agreed to strengthen institutional collaboration in public procurement, capacity building and professional development.
The agreement was reached when the management of NOUN, led by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Uduma O. Uduma, paid a courtesy visit to the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of BPP, Dr. Adebowale A. Adedokun, in Abuja.
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Receiving the delegation, Dr. Adedokun commended the Vice-Chancellor for his experience and vision, and expressed the Bureau’s readiness to develop a strategic partnership with the university to promote stronger academic-industry collaboration.
He said effective transformation of public administration requires equipping the next generation with relevant practical skills and a strong national orientation.
The BPP Director-General explained that the proposed collaboration was in line with the Federal Government’s drive to promote local expertise, homegrown educational platforms and professional certification under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Nigeria First Policy.
According to him, knowledge remains critical to translating national policies into sustainable development, noting that the Bureau already has a capacity-building structure and a hybrid Sustainable Procurement programme established in partnership with the National Universities Commission (NUC), with support from the World Bank.
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Dr. Adedokun said the Bureau was willing to collaborate with NOUN on the establishment of hybrid study centres to further strengthen the Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement (SPESSE) programme.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Professor Uduma O. Uduma, said partnership with the BPP would enhance the university’s ability to deliver effectively on its national mandate.
He reaffirmed the university’s commitment to strict compliance with public procurement guidelines, stressing that collaboration with the regulatory agency would help streamline procurement processes, reduce administrative bottlenecks and minimise project delays.
Professor Uduma said: “To deliver on our mandate, our processes must be competitive, accountable and in compliance with public procurement rules.”
He also proposed the development of procurement certification programmes with nationwide reach, leveraging NOUN’s extensive network of study centres.
The Vice-Chancellor noted that the university’s expansion plan, which targets at least 774 study centres nationwide, makes effective procurement systems essential to the development of its digital infrastructure, learning resources and other facilities.
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Both institutions underscored the need for a structured framework that would align NOUN’s expansion programme with public procurement regulations and promote efficient delivery of its educational mandate nationwide.