The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, has commended the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) for its role in saving the Nigerian government N1.7 trillion between 2009 and 2022 by preventing financial leakages in the procurement process.
Gbajabiamila made these remarks on Thursday after an assessment tour of several agencies under the supervision of the State House. He highlighted the importance of the BPP’s efforts in blocking loopholes that could have resulted in significant losses for the country.
In response to a presentation by the BPP’s Acting Director-General, Olusegun Omotola, Gbajabiamila assured that the Act establishing the BPP would undergo a review to align with international best practices. This review aims to reduce corruption, red tape, and bureaucracy within the procurement process.
“I commend the BPP for saving the federal government some N1.7 trillion from 2009 to 2022 by blocking loopholes that would have been exploited during procurement,” Gbajabiamila stated.
He also addressed the issue of staff remuneration within the BPP, acknowledging that there had not been a review of salaries and benefits over the years, especially compared to similar agencies like the Debt Management Office, whose remuneration structure has been updated several times.
Gbajabiamila, who previously served as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, noted that the 2025 budget for State House agencies would be based on a thorough needs assessment, ensuring that funding is allocated according to actual requirements.
Additionally, he highlighted the achievements of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), a sister agency, which has remitted over N1 trillion to the Federal Government since 1999. Despite this success, Gbajabiamila emphasized the need for further improvements.
BPE Director-General Ayodeji Gbeleyi revealed that the agency had generated N93.4 billion from privatization projects in the first and second quarters of 2024, although this was below the revised expected revenue of N259.7 billion.
Gbajabiamila concluded by reaffirming the government’s commitment to working closely with both the BPP and BPE to ensure they continue to fulfill their mandates effectively.
