By Akakan Umoh
The member representing Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Unyime Idem, has floated a roadmap for the implementation of an electronic procurement system in Nigeria to curb fraud, deepen transparency, and strengthen legislative oversight.
Idem who is the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Public Procurement described digital transformation as a critical catalyst for transparency and accountability in public spending.
He made this presentation during a workshop in Abuja, for National Assembly members and committee staff, aimed at strengthening the adoption and oversight of e-procurement tools. The initiative marks a significant shift from traditional procurement practices to technology-driven models.
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Addressing participants, the committee chairman emphasized that, “transitioning to an e-procurement system is not only necessary for modernising Nigeria’s public procurement architecture, but also serves as a crucial tool to accelerate transparency, accountability, efficiency, value for money, reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks and foster competitive bidding, which is the cornerstone of sound public financial management.
“E-Procurement serves as the guardrail that ensures public funds move safely from the national budget to the projects that directly impact the lives of our constituents and the Nigerian people at large.”
Idem noted that the roadmap aims to guide both lawmakers and relevant institutions in operationalising the system across federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
He highlighted some key pillars aimed at ensuring successful implementation of the e-procurement roadmap to include;
Legislative and Regulatory Alignment
Revising procurement laws to support digital processes and close gaps in the 2007 Public Procurement Act, ensuring the legal framework explicitly supports e-procurement mandates.
Capacity Building and Training
Empowering lawmakers, procurement officers, and stakeholders through targeted training on system use, data interpretation, and oversight responsibilities are a central focus of the ongoing training programme.
Technology Infrastructure
Establishing a robust digital platform capable of hosting government tenders, facilitating online bid submissions, and enabling real-time monitoring and reporting of procurement activities.
Inter-agency Collaboration
Coordinating with the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), anti-corruption agencies, and relevant ministries to ensure interoperability, data sharing, and system standardisation across MDAs.
The Federal Lawmaker reiterated that with Nigeria’s ongoing public procurement reforms and the Bureau of Public Procurement’s plans to deploy electronic systems to tackle fraud and improve transparency, the integration of e-procurement will deepen reforms and enhance the oversight role of the legislature.
For lawmakers, Idem stressed that the roadmap will also position them to provide stronger legislative oversight by enabling access to procurement data and trends necessary for informed policy-making and accountability.
