BPP Canvasses Reforms to Allow Inclusivity in Agricultural Procurement

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has called for reforms in the procurement system in the country, especially for agriculture, to ensure inclusion of all major stakeholders and strata.

Speaking at a workshop on “Inclusivity in Agriculture Procurement,” organised by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) on Monday in Abuja, Director-General of BPP, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, said the workshop came at an important time, when the country’s agricultural sector was yearning for development and needed to take its rightful position in the push for economic growth.

The workshop was convened by International Budget Partnership, and Small-Scale Women Farmers Organisation of Nigeria, as part of the “Engaging for Systems Change and Transformation” project.

Represented by Head of Research, Training and Strategic Planning Department, BPP, Adesina Mokuolu, Adedokun said, “I extend gratitude for this opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue on advancing inclusivity – an imperative for our nation’s agricultural and socioeconomic advancement.”

He explained that inclusion, in the context of agriculture procurement, meant opening decision-making, funding, and participation pathways to all stakeholders, especially women, youth, and marginalised groups.

Adedokun stated, “It requires deliberate policies and practices that ensure that procurement systems do not exclude smallholders, women entrepreneurs, or rural communities from benefitting directly from government investments in agriculture.”

He said, “Agriculture remains the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, engaging millions, including women and small-scale farmers who are the primary stewards of our land and food systems.

“Yet, barriers persist – ranging from limited access to credit, market information, and fair competition—hindering full participation in procurement opportunities. Addressing these barriers is not just ethical, but essential to national development, food security, and poverty reduction.”

The director-general acknowledged persistent challenges in the procurement system, with limited outreach and capacity-building targeting rural women and youth, inadequate support for smallholder farmer organisations to compete in procurement processes, and gender bias and administrative complexity in accessing government contracts.

He said, “The Bureau of Public Procurement is proud to have advanced transparency, fairness, and competitive processes in public procurement, including agricultural sector interventions.”

He called on participants to “let us seize this moment to renew our commitment to inclusive procurement and investment in agriculture. I urge all participants—policy-makers, local champions, and international partners—to advocate for practical reforms, invest in capacity-building, and champion the voices of smallholder women and youth in procurement processes.”

Adedokun stressed, “Together, we can build agricultural systems that are not only productive and resilient, but equitable—ensuring no group is left behind in Nigeria’s journey toward food security and sustainable prosperity.”

In his welcome address, Lead Director of the Centre for Social Justice, Eze Onyekpere, stated that the agricultural sector was the greatest employer of Nigerians. Onyekpere said players in the sector needed to be sanitised to ensure that everyone was carried along, in order for poverty to be effectively tackled.

He stated that everyone should be impacted in the policies and actions taken by government and the gaps noticed in the procurement processes should be abridged to make for inclusivity.