BPP, ICAN Strengthen Partnership to Deepen Professionalism, Advance Public Procurement Reforms
The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) have agreed to deepen institutional collaboration aimed at strengthening public procurement professionalism and driving ongoing national reforms.
The Director-General of BPP, Dr. Adebowale A. Adedokun (FCIPS, FCILT, ACFE), made the call during a courtesy visit by the ICAN President and Chairman of Council, Mallam Haruna Nma Yahaya (mni, PhD, FCA), to the Bureau’s headquarters in Abuja.
Dr. Adedokun emphasized that the procurement and accounting professions share the same objectives of transparency, accountability, trust, and proper disclosure of public funds, even though they operate from different perspectives. He disclosed that as of 2025, BPP had saved the Federal Government approximately ₦350 billion, underscoring the critical role of professional collaboration.
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Mallam Haruna praised Dr. Adedokun’s leadership, noting that his reforms—such as the rollout of the National Procurement Certification Portal (NPCP), strengthened debarment processes, enhanced capacity building initiatives, and upgraded NOCOPO, as well as the newly approved Revised Monetary Thresholds—have resulted in over ₦173 billion in savings and improved transparency across MDAs.
The ICAN President reaffirmed the Institute’s alignment with BPP’s reform agenda, especially in the areas of digitalisation, consequence management, and citizen-focused transparency, noting that ICAN-trained professionals remain central to Nigeria’s accountability systems across government and the private sector.
He proposed key areas for expanded collaboration, including:
- Forensic Audit & Data Analytics Support to strengthen procurement monitoring and internal control systems.
- Capacity Building for BPP Officials, covering procurement compliance, IPSAS, sustainability reporting standards, and digital assurance.
- Professional Upskilling and Sponsorship, encouraging BPP staff participation in ICAN programmes and certifications.
- Joint Research & Policy Collaboration on reform priorities such as consequence management, digital public finance systems, ethics-by-design, and fiscal sustainability.
Mallam Haruna also invited Dr. Adedokun to appear as a guest speaker on ICAN’s weekly broadcast, ICAN on Air, to enlighten members on emerging trends in public procurement.
In response, Dr. Adedokun stressed the urgent need to train accountants with procurement expertise, noting that procurement is a multidisciplinary field with strategic implications for Nigeria’s financial management.
He said such professionals would help curb wastage, monitor contract prices, and ensure value for money. He further encouraged ICAN to establish a specialised unit dedicated to producing accountants with procurement competencies.
“The Bureau is ready to formalise the partnership with ICAN through an MoU and establish a working team to implement the collaboration,” Dr. Adedokun assured.
The visit was concluded with a commitment from both institutions to strengthen Nigeria’s procurement ecosystem in line with global best practices.
BPP, ICAN Strengthen Partnership to Deepen Professionalism, Advance Public Procurement Reforms