How BPP prevented contractors from diverting N1.9trn to personal pockets

The Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Adebowale Adedokun, has said the bureau successfully prevented contractors from diverting N1.9 trillion to personal pockets.

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He said the organisation has been saving the country from losing at least N40 billion annually due to contract inflation, diversion of public funds and poor service delivery.

Mr Adedokun disclosed this when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Public Procurement on Thursday to defend the agency’s allocation in the 2025 budget.

“BPP has been saving the country from loss of at least N40 billion annually to contracts inflation, diversion of public funds and poor service delivery.

“Records from our price intelligence unit indicate that total money prevented so far from being diverted to personal pockets from contracts awarded is N1.9 trillion,” he said.

According to him, the mismanagement of public funds has contributed significantly to Nigeria’s poor infrastructure.

This revelation comes at a time when Nigerians are increasingly voicing concerns over widespread infrastructural decay and the management of government funds.

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For years, public contracts in Nigeria have been plagued by corruption, with some unscrupulous contractors inflating costs, abandoning projects, and using fraudulent companies to siphon government funds.

Mr Adedokun said the BPP, as the regulator of public procurement, ensures that there is strict monitoring of contracts awarded and that funds are used for their intended purposes rather than being diverted into private pockets.

“BPP has within the last 17 years been changing the landscape of public procurement in Nigeria by ensuring transparency, fairness and efficiency on contracts awards and execution,” he added.

More funds

Mr Adedokun said the N1.57 billion allocated to the BPP in the 2025 budget was inadequate and should be increased.

He said the allocation would not be enough for the welfare of its workers, replacement of project monitoring vehicles, and the planned transmission to the agency’s e-procure event monitoring programme.

Lawmakers respond

In response, committee members commended BPP in separate remarks for preventing corrupt contractors from diverting public funds.

Chairman of the committee, Olajide Ipinsagba, praised the agency for its effective monitoring of contracts awarded by government agencies to contractors.

Mr Ipinsagba, who represents Ondo North Senatorial District, also said the agency needs more workers to effectively track awarded projects across the country.

READ ALSO: BPP unveils new plan to eliminate procurement fraud in govt contracts

The lawmaker, however, directed the DG to include the provision for more workers in the agency’s budget for 2025 and re-present the document to the committee for consideration.