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The Lagos State Government is developing a long-term strategy to modernise public procurement, strengthen accountability and improve value for money in government projects, as the state looks towards its 2036 development vision.
The Lagos State Public Procurement Agency (LSPPA), in collaboration with the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme, on Tuesday held a four-day technical retreat to review existing procurement practices and develop a strategic roadmap for a more transparent, efficient and technology-driven system.
The retreat, held at Lime Ridge Signature Hotel in Ikeja, brought together procurement officers, technical experts, consultants, civil society representatives and officials from ministries, departments and agencies, as well as the health sector and local governments.
Declaring the retreat open, LSPPA Director-General, Mr Fatai Idowu Onafowote, said the initiative was designed to prepare the agency for future procurement demands while aligning its operations with the state’s development priorities.
He said the exercise would focus on strengthening compliance with procurement laws, building the capacity of procurement officers, promoting sustainable procurement and ensuring that public funds deliver value through government projects.
Onafowote stressed that the roadmap must extend beyond immediate administrative needs to establish reforms that would endure beyond the tenure of current officials.
“In all the things we are doing, we are not only thinking of today; we are also mindful of tomorrow. Even when we are no longer here, we must have laid a legacy and made history,” he said.
He explained that around 2019, Lagos opted to move away from expensive, off-the-shelf foreign software packages in favour of a homegrown platform designed to accommodate Nigeria’s regulatory requirements and operational environment.
According to him, the platform’s Software as a Service (SaaS) model has supported continued upgrades, security improvements and adjustments based on users’ feedback, while offering a more adaptable and cost-effective approach to digital procurement.
He said efforts were under way to extend the application of the technology to healthcare delivery, local government administrations, infrastructure and urban development projects.
Onafowote also welcomed growing interest among local governments in digitising bid-opening processes, describing the development as a step towards improving efficiency, transparency and accountability in public procurement.
Speaking at the event, the RoLAC State Coordinator, Mrs Ajibola Ijimakinwa, said the partnership with the Lagos State Government and LSPPA was intended to build lasting institutional capacity rather than deliver only short-term operational results.
Ijimakinwa, who was represented by Mr Samson Onwusonye, noted that although RoLAC’s current programme cycle would end next year, its interventions were designed around a longer-term vision, with the data, structures and evidence generated expected to support institutional development in the coming decade.
She urged participants to contribute actively to the retreat, saying their recommendations would help shape future policy and regulatory improvements.
In a presentation on strategic alignment, diagnostic methodology and Vision 2036 mapping, the retreat’s facilitator, Mr Chibuzor Ekwekwo of A.E. Law Partnership, described public procurement as a critical component of modern public financial management.
He said future reforms should be grounded in evidence and a realistic assessment of existing strengths, weaknesses and operational challenges, rather than assumptions.
Ekwekwo also noted that Lagos was increasingly being looked to by other states and countries as a reference point for public procurement, adding that the retreat offered an opportunity to consolidate existing progress and establish clear priorities for the years ahead.
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