Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday said the ongoing reforms of the President Bola Tinubu administration are rebuilding Nigeria’s global image and restoring confidence in the country.

Mr Shettima stated this at the inaugural convocation of the Professionals’ Certification Programme, held at the State House Conference Hall, Abuja.

The VP was represented at the event by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hadejia.

He said the participation of foreign professionals in certification programmes such as the Nigeria Procurement Certification Programme showed growing international confidence in the country.

Mr Shettima noted that the graduation of the first cohort of 2,100 certified procurement professionals from Nigeria and other countries marked a major milestone, demonstrating the administration’s firm commitment to implementing the Renewed Hope Agenda.

He said the involvement of professionals from foreign countries in the inaugural cohort was a clear indication that Nigeria was no longer content with mediocrity in procurement practices, but was deliberately positioning itself as a benchmark on the continent and beyond.

Mr Shettima recalled that in the past, public procurement in Nigeria was often viewed merely as an administrative necessity and frequently misinterpreted and abused.

According to him, procurement under the present administration is central to governance, as it determines how public resources are translated into roads, hospitals, schools, security infrastructure and social services.

“When procurement fails, development fails, and citizens suffer the consequences of poor documentation and weak processes. This administration recognises this reality and has chosen to confront it directly,” he said.

Mr Shettima stated that for a country as ambitious as Nigeria, prudent, transparent and strategic management of public resources was not a technical afterthought but the engine room of development under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

He said procurement shapes the quality of infrastructure, the strength of the healthcare system, the reach of educational institutions, and the confidence citizens have in government.

The vice president said the Bureau of Public Procurement stood at the centre of the reform efforts, with responsibilities that extended beyond regulation to the development of a professional, ethical and competent procurement workforce.

He urged the graduands to allow their certification guide their conscience and conduct, reminding them of their unique responsibility as pioneers of the programme.

He said, “As stewards of value for money and custodians of public trust, your decisions will impact lives across the country. Let integrity define your practice and patriotism guide your actions.”

Mr Shettima congratulated the BPP, the leadership of the Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement (SPESSE) Project, the World Bank and other development partners for their support.

He said the milestone would strengthen institutions, rebuild public trust and move Nigeria closer to its development aspirations.

Earlier, Senate Committee Chairman on Procurement, Senator Olajide Ipinsagba, pledged the National Assembly’s support for the sustainability of the Nigeria Procurement Certification Programme.

Mr Ipinsagba urged the graduands to uphold high ethical standards and apply the knowledge acquired to advance the public procurement system.

The Director-General of the BPP, Dr Adebowale Adedokun, said the programme, implemented in collaboration with development partners, was aimed at strengthening capacity and entrenching a sound procurement culture in Nigeria’s public service.

He announced Mr Tinubu’s approval for the deployment of community-based procurement officers nationwide to align procurement practices with global standards and ensure prudent use of public resources.

The National Project Coordinator, Dr Joshua Attah, said the SPESSE Project was building a legacy that would transform procurement processes in both public and private sectors.

Mr Attah said over 40,000 candidates had so far been trained through capacity-building programmes, assessments and professional certification.

The World Bank’s Chief Procurement Officer, Hiba Tahboub, said the Federal Government’s consistent investment in the programme underscored its commitment to transparency and integrity in public service.

She urged other African countries to emulate Nigeria’s approach to institutionalising procurement professionalism. 

(NAN)