Adebowale Adedokun as Fresh Breath 

Donatus Eleko

Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, the newly appointed Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has stated his commitment to reposition the agency and enhance public procurement practices in Nigeria. His vision centers around transparency, efficiency, and accountability, with a strong emphasis on leveraging technology to streamline processes.

The new BPP boss was appointed last week by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The President, in a statement announcing the new appointment, had urged all staff of the agency to support the new leadership of the BPP and also called on Adedokun to discharge his duties with dedication, patriotism and excellence. He succeeded Olusegun Omotola.

Adedokun, before his appointment was the Director, of Research, Training and Strategic Planning at the Bureau. He has a background in procurement and supply chain management with a Ph.D. and four master’s degrees in various fields including procurement, finance, technology, and transportation management. He has over two decades of experience in public procurement and reform.

In his career, Adedokun has held pivotal roles, including serving as a National Consultant for the United Nations Development Programme on public procurement reforms.

He represents Nigeria in the International Research Study on Public Procurement (IRSPP) and serves as a World Bank resource person on sustainable procurement. His commitment to capacity building is evident in his training of over 4,000 federal and state government procurement professionals nationwide.

In addition, he has been instrumental as the focal point officer for the UN Women Project aimed at empowering women in procurement in Nigeria and as the Project Coordinator/Procurement Node for the SPESSE-World Bank Project.

Adedokun’s professional affiliations are extensive, including membership in the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS), UK; Chartered Membership in the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport (CILT); Fellowship in the Institute of Strategic Management Nigeria (ISMN); Fellowship in the Institute of Management Consultants (ICMC), Nigeria; membership in the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (ACArb); Fellowship in the Nigeria Institute of Training & Development (NITAD); membership in the Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM); and membership in the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). His leadership is expected to advance efficiency, transparency, and accountability within Nigeria’s public procurement system. In recognition of his consistent contributions to reform, Adedokun was honoured with a Certificate of Special Recognition by USAID’s Nigerian Reforms Project in 2009. Adedokun’s extensive knowledge and experience are anticipated to significantly contribute to the agency’s strategic repositioning.

Adedokun has been praised for his commitment to transparency and efficiency in government procurement practices. He has pledged to continue the BPP’s work in ensuring that public funds are used effectively and responsibly. The key areas of focus of his agenda for the Bureau include digital transformation, transparency and accountability, capacity building and sustaibility.

Part of his plan includes implementing an advanced electronic procurement system to minimise manual processes and reduce the potential for corruption at the BPP; utilising data analytics to identify trends, optimise procurement decisions, and improve cost-effectiveness. Also, Adedokun intends to strengthen oversight mechanisms to ensure adherence to procurement regulations and guidelines; promote open and competitive bidding processes to foster fair competition and value for money; encourage public participation and feedback to enhance transparency and accountability, invest in the training and development of procurement professionals to equip staff with latest skills and knowledge as well as collaborate with international organisations to adopt global best practices in public procurement.

In addition, the BPP under Adedokun’s leadership intends to leverage strategic sourcing techniques to optimise supplier relationships and reduce costs; promote use of local content to stimulate economic growth and job creation; integrate sustainability considerations into procurement decisions to minimise environmental impact and promote social responsibility.

Already, a group under the aegis of Core Public Servants (CPS), has hailed Tinubu for appointing Adedokun, a thoroughbred procurement officer, as the BPP DG.

In a congratulatory letter signed by Kudirat Akindero to Adedokun, CPS lauded Tinubu for following due process and picking the most qualified to run the affairs of the specialised agency.

The letter noted that the significant achievement reflects his extensive expertise and unwavering dedication to advancing public procurement in Nigeria.

“With over 20 years of robust experience in public service, Dr. Adedokun has made substantial contributions to procurement reform.

“His distinguished academic background includes a doctorate in procurement and supply chain management, complemented by four master’s degrees in procurement, finance, technology, and transportation management.

“This diverse educational foundation equips him with a comprehensive understanding of the complexities inherent in procurement processes,” the CPS stated.

To ensure the effective delivery of his mandate, Adedokun, has cautioned staff of the bureau to desist from rumour-mongering whilst declaring his administration’s intention to maintain an open-door policy with staff. Identifying rumour-mongering as one of the bureau’s significant challenges, Adedokun urged the staff to avoid rumour-mongers, noting that his administration will operate an open-door policy to every staff member.

“I assure you that my administration will not compromise on the staff’s merit, quality and development. I can assure you that I will respect you and do what needs to be done to ensure the continuous growth of the bureau. My vision is to build a BPP staff that is exportable and of global standard,” he told the excited staff of the BPP.

He added that his administration would develop policies to empower women, youth, and persons with disabilities and thoroughly review and follow up on the details of his predecessor’s handover notes.

By focusing on ongoing reforms at the Bureau, Adedokun aims to transform the BPP into a world-class procurement agency that drives economic growth, promotes good governance, and delivers value for the Nigerian people. His appointment is seen as a positive step towards improving public procurement practices and combating corruption in the country.