By Anayo Akwitti
The Advocate for the Promotion of Transparent Procurement Initiative (APTPI) has called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, the National Assembly, civil society organisations, development partners and procurement professionals to safeguard public funds and improve value for money.
The call was made at the inaugural forum of the organisation, themed “2026 Budget Oversight: Navigating Procurement Risk in a N68.3 Trillion Fiscal Era.” The event brought together representatives of the Federal Government, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, the National Assembly, development partners, civil society organisations and public procurement professionals.
Secretary to APTPI, Ayo Johnson in his remarks said the size of the 2026 budget, with capital expenditure estimated at about N32.2 trillion and significant financing requirements, makes effective procurement governance critical to Nigeria’s development and fiscal sustainability.
According to the him, the key question should not only be how much government plans to spend, but how much value Nigerians will ultimately receive from the expenditure.
“Public procurement is the point where government policies and budgetary decisions are translated into roads, hospitals, schools, electricity infrastructure, agricultural programmes, digital infrastructure, security equipment and other public services”.
The organisation warned that weak procurement systems could result in inflated prices, poor planning, weak competition, unnecessary contract variations, contract splitting and abandoned projects, with citizens ultimately bearing the consequences.
“This initiative was established to build a stronger bridge between public institutions, citizens, procurement professionals, researchers, development partners and civil society, stressing that its objective is not to condemn institutions but to identify challenges, establish their causes and promote practical solutions” he said
The group said it would adopt a constructive accountability approach by combining professional procurement expertise with an understanding of the operational, institutional and fiscal pressures confronting public officials.
It further stressed the need for greater scrutiny of procurement planning, project continuity, contract management, capital project monitoring, budget releases and implementation as government undertakes a large capital programme in 2026.
The initiative raised questions about whether projects are properly identified and geographically traceable, whether project plans correspond with approved budgets, whether appropriate procurement methods are being adopted and whether contracts are being executed at reasonable prices.
“We call for mechanisms of public funds from budget allocation through procurement and contracting to project completion, insisting that procurement risks should be addressed before public resources are lost”
The organisation pledged to remain non-partisan, evidence-driven and professionally independent while engaging constructively with stakeholders and remaining firm on accountability.
