Lately, the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria (CIPSMN), the umbrella body for practising and aspiring practitioners, has been in the news—sadly, for the wrong reasons. Somehow, this position has been further strengthened by the generality of those in the profession and technocrats in other related sectors. Presidential censure of the CIPSMN (Establishment) Amendment Bill has not only drawn public attention but also generated commentaries from respected members of the constituency. Further, it has led to widespread criticism and condemnation of the “arrowheads” behind the CIPSMN’s moves, which have been described as a non-ingenious attempt to assume a position it does not deserve in law. According to reports, President Bola Tinubu withheld assent to the Bill for some pertinent reasons bordering on legal issues, ethics and operations.
From media reports, President Tinubu declined assent to the Bill because some of the amendments sought were riddled with irregularities and illogicalities. These include seeking to give the Institute powers beyond its statutory mandate; attempting to foist itself as the regulator; seeking to be empowered to exercise control over the inspection of organisations, sanction employers and assume compliance functions over entities and companies; and seeking other powers that clearly exceed the Institute’s scope. Others include the phoney insertion of new sub-clauses seeking to confer powers and control on the Institute that are clearly beyond its brief, as well as seeking subtle control over incorporated entities and organisations in the appointment of heads of procurement and other related activities.
Indeed, there are empirical reports that the Bill, at different stages of legislative inquiry, and other attempts by promoters of the hideous plot, had suffered several thumbs-down from relevant agencies and stakeholders in 2007, 2024 and 2025. Serially, many of the amendments sought were roundly defeated with convincing, logical and legal submissions. These include Section 1(c), which conflicts directly with Section 5(k) of the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007, which gives the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) powers over the training, education and examination of procurement professionals—and which it is already carrying out. Section 12 would bring it into conflict with global standards and the provisions of the PPA. Among other things, the CIPSMN is accused of trying to undermine existing laws through institutional overreach; attempting to cause institutional overlap; and attempting to breed regulatory confusion and legal conflict.
Somehow, this latest development has brought to the fore the CIPSMN’s “leadership” beef with the BPP. The Bill, which, from inquiries, does not have the blessings of the majority of members, has been in the works since 2007. A major stakeholder who pleaded anonymity confessed: “Honestly, I didn’t know that the ‘owners’ of CIPSMN are still bent on their selfish and immoral agenda of forcefully taking over procurement activities in Nigeria and pigeonholing professionals.”
A senior official in a Federal Government agency declared: “One wonders why these persons are being so difficult and mischievous. Why are they resolute in destroying and derailing the harmonious working relationship between the BPP and professionals? It is time they dropped these Machiavellian tactics and embraced meaningful collaboration for national growth and the personal development of members.”
Some stakeholders are at a loss over the fierce grip and autocratic control of the “officials” over CIPSMN. Further checks reveal shocking discoveries that demand the immediate attention of relevant agencies. As presently constituted, though the Institute has a Governing Council—which includes representatives of the Ministries of Investment, Trade and Industry; Education; and Finance—the Council has not met for years. The Institute has been under the control and manipulation of two individuals for about 20 years. They are reportedly cousins and allegedly function interchangeably as President or Registrar, and Secretary, Head of Secretariat or National Coordinator.
A member of the Institute in one of the Federal Ministries who craved anonymity lamented: “The men operate like lords of the manor, as they take unilateral decisions at all times. The Institute’s accounts have never been published, and there has never been any attempt to interpret the CIPSMN Act since 2007—which amounts to flagrant disobedience.”
Ideally, the legislature, being the fulcrum of democratic governance, ought to be thorough, detailed and diligent in the enactment and amendment of any Bill or Act. The scale and speed of the passage of the Bill raise serious concerns. How did the contentious Bill, with numerous obnoxious amendments, pass through the legislative binoculars of our resourceful lawmakers? Why would the Senate and House of Representatives give the go-ahead for presidential assent to a Bill that encumbered a subsisting Act of the legislature? Why the haste and rush?
One believes that since the legislature is the bedrock of meaningful reform policy and process, lawmakers should do their best to ensure that clear, cogent and coherent legal frameworks are provided—wholly and without ambiguities—for agencies involved. The agencies should enjoy some legislative protections, where legally possible, to ensure that no other agency or entity encroaches on or breaches the Act establishing and guiding their responsibilities. Sadly, the reverse happened.
Prior to Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, there were procedural errors, operational defects and bureaucratic infractions in public procurement expenditure. The system was bad and battered. Successive administrations made efforts to tinker with the system for improvement. This led to the enactment of the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007, which empowered the BPP to harmonise, set standards and issue guidelines towards ensuring professionalism in public procurement.
The Bureau was also given regulatory authority for monitoring and overseeing public procurement, ensuring transparency, competition and value for money in government contracting. In addition, it has responsibilities to regulate and strengthen Nigeria’s procurement governance; advance ethical standards and institutional integrity in the public procurement system; ensure professional regulation through the certification and licensing of Federal procurement professionals; and upgrade procurement processes towards meeting global standards.
Since its establishment in 2007, the BPP has undergone various stages of evolution, particularly in the last two years. Under the leadership of Dr Adebowale Adedokun, it has put in place necessary templates for improving and deepening public procurement. The BPP has been a strategic institution in driving meaningful infrastructural development, sectoral transformation, economic growth and national development through transparency, probity and corporate governance.
Leveraging the political will provided by President Bola Tinubu, the BPP has recorded many milestones. These include saving the country over N200bn, $155m and €1.7m through its upgraded Nigeria Open Contracting Portal (NOCOPO); domesticating and efficiently implementing procurement policies in the public service in conformity with best global practices; and ensuring effective and results-yielding procurement processes through its collaboration with the World Bank, European Union and other development partners.
Others include a debarment policy and sanctions on contractors for shoddy and low-quality jobs; faster bid cycles; reduced leakages and wasteful expenditure; and improved public access to contract data through its Digital Transformation and Transparency Policy, Nigeria E-Market, e-government procurement system and other IT-based platforms. It has also put in place procurement policies that give preference or access to disadvantaged groups, ensuring the participation of marginalised groups in public contract opportunities and strengthening inclusive growth in conformity with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Conscious of the important roles of permanent secretaries (PSs), as chief accounting officers in Federal Ministries within the procurement cycle, the BPP revived, after a four-year stoppage, the National Retreat for PSs and also improved its scope, content and objectives.
The programme was held in Uyo and attended by virtually all the PSs and other very senior officials in MDAs, as well as some top officials of the Akwa Ibom State Government. The testimonials of some of the participants confirmed that the retreat was hugely successful.
Pleading anonymity, one participant confessed: “This programme was an eye-opener to many of us who never knew that such synergy is absolutely necessary to positively drive the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.”
A colleague declared: “Before now, I never knew that the BPP was doing so much for national development. I now realise that MDAs and the Bureau must be in sync towards ensuring meaningful growth and development.”
While corroborating this view, another participant advised: “The retreat should be more regular for maximum results. Also, the BPP should expand the scope of participation to sub-national governments—states. This would spread the benefits of effective public procurement across the country.”
Back to the CIPSMN Bill. Having undertaken a holistic review and comprehensive study of the matter, it is imperative for the Institute to focus on its core mandate and not embark on a wild goose chase. Public procurement is beyond P&S.
Wondering about the intentions of the promoters of the Bill, a management staff member in the private sector who pleaded anonymity commended President Tinubu for withholding assent, saying: “If he had assented to it, it would have destroyed the gains recorded by his government through the BPP in project delivery, derailed the huge foreign direct investment coming to Nigeria and soured the integrity of our corporate governance structures because the Bill negates all known professional ethical practices in the world.”
In many ways, the Bill, as couched by its purveyors, has exposed their insidious, knavish and invertebrate penchant for influence-peddling, power-hunger and attention-seeking. Spineless and wishy-washy, it is an agglomeration of recalcitrant miscalculations, conjured misinformation and calculated mischief, which deserves a festoon of sarcasm, self-deception and perdition.
Another stakeholder was unequivocal: “In fact, the Bill should be completely repealed and buried to put finality to the intransigence of two individuals whose actions are causing unnecessary tension and overheating the procurement sector, which may affect the pace of achievements recorded by the government—if not checked immediately.”
Perhaps this counsel may be instructive.
El’Sudi is a public policy analyst based in Abuja.
