Urgent Action Needed: Procurement Fraud Accounts for 70% of Total Corruption in the Public Sector

A report by the Procurement Observation and Advocacy Initiative (PRADIN) has alleged that procurement fraud accounts for a staggering 70% of total corruption in the public sector. PRADIN has called on the federal government to appoint and inaugurate the National Council for Public Procurement, as enshrined in Part 1, Section of the PPA 2007.

According to PRADIN, the challenges facing the administration of effective and efficient procurement processes in Nigeria are largely responsible for the high level of corruption and the unproductive nature of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).Mohammed Bougei Attah, the National Coordinator of PRADIN, emphasized the need for collective efforts to combat corruption. He highlighted that despite significant investments and resources in the fight against corruption, wastage continues, and corruption, particularly in high places, is on the rise.Attah pointed out that procurement corruption alone accounts for over 70% of total corruption in the public sector, with an estimated $16 billion of public funds going into wastages caused by corruption through abandoned projects.The media and Civil Society Organizations (CSO) Parley, organized as an annual event, aim to support the government's efforts in the fight against corruption by providing insights into the challenges and the way forward in procurement management and administration in Nigeria.The challenges facing the BPP, as identified by PRADIN, include the failure to constitute and inaugurate the National Council for Public Procurement, lack of capacity among previous appointees, and the failure of the BPP to conduct procurement audits and submit reports to the National Assembly bi-annually as required by law.The establishment of the National Council for Public Procurement, as mandated by the PPA 2007, is crucial for ensuring transparency and accountability in procurement processes. The council, with the Minister of Finance as Chairman, would consider, approve, and amend the monetary and prior review thresholds for the application of the provisions of the Public Procurement Act 2007.It is imperative for the federal government to take immediate action in constituting and inaugurating the National Council for Public Procurement to address the challenges and improve the integrity of procurement processes in Nigeria.