BPP Sets March 2 for Mandatory Electronic Bid Submission in Federal Contracts

The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) says contractors bidding for Federal Government projects will begin electronic submission of bids from 2 March 2026, in what officials describe as a major reform to tighten accountability in public contracting.

BPP Director-General Adebowale Adedokun announced the change at a stakeholders’ forum in Ikeja, Lagos, saying Nigeria’s procurement framework must move away from practices that allow irregularities and weaken development outcomes.

Adedokun said the bureau is pursuing participatory and evidence-based reforms to improve transparency, reduce human interference and align procurement with national growth priorities. According to him, procurement decisions directly shape the quality of infrastructure and public services delivered to Nigerians.

He said the shift to digital bid submission forms part of a broader modernisation effort that includes full electronic auctioning in subsequent phases. The objective, he explained, is to limit manual bottlenecks, improve traceability of tender processes and provide clearer audit trails for regulators and citizens.

“The procurement system is something that has to be totally overhauled, and in overhauling procurement, certain people will not be happy, including procurement officers,” Adedokun said.

He added that procurement should not be treated as a routine transaction but as a policy lever for national transformation. “The development of Nigeria hinges on how effective our procurement processes are. No nation can develop when procurement is seen as transactional. Procurement is the tool for change in this country,” he said.

The forum was organised with support from the United Kingdom-based Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Engagement (PACE) and included discussions on the Methodology for Assessing Procurement Systems (MAPS), a diagnostic framework developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

PACE representative Chioma Itodo said the MAPS exercise reviewed Nigeria’s federal procurement system across legal architecture, institutional capacity, market practice, openness and accountability controls. She said the approach is intended to serve as a reform enabler, helping policymakers target system-level gaps with measurable interventions.

Also speaking, Fatai Idowu Onafowote, Director-General of the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency, said Lagos had already adopted digital procurement procedures and recorded gains in efficiency and transparency.

He said the federal transition could encourage wider adoption across states. “The BPP national is going to encourage all states of the federation to adopt this system that is working, and that is why we can say Lagos State is leading the pack in ensuring that technology drives the process,” he said.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Procurement, Olajide Ipinsagba, said the National Assembly is ready to support the reforms through legislative cooperation. He said the bureau should work closely with lawmakers to advance legal and institutional updates required for full implementation.

Stakeholders at the forum said a credible digital procurement environment can improve confidence for both domestic and international bidders, while dispute-resolution pathways remain important for investment protection and business continuity.

For public finance managers, the 2 March rollout marks a critical test of whether technology-driven procurement can close loopholes, standardise compliance and raise trust in how public contracts are awarded and executed.

At the forum, officials also said transparent procurement rules create a level playing field for national and international bidders, while reliable dispute-resolution channels help protect investments and maintain continuity when contract disagreements arise. Participants said these safeguards are essential if digital procurement is to deliver fair competition and better value for public spending.