PPDC tasks FG, states on procurement reforms, transparency

  The Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) has urged both federal and state governments in Nigeria to prioritise transparency by driving open government partnerships and contracting processes. The Executive Director and CEO of PPDC, Ms Lucy Abagi, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja at the unveiling of the Transparency for Citizen Engagement Close-Out […]

 

The Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) has urged both federal and state governments in Nigeria to prioritise transparency by driving open government partnerships and contracting processes.

The Executive Director and CEO of PPDC, Ms Lucy Abagi, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja at the unveiling of the Transparency for Citizen Engagement Close-Out Report and the PPDC Strategic Framework (2024–2028).

She noted the need for proactive governance, particularly in procurement, and called for the integration of open data portals to monitor public projects and for governments to embrace accountability and citizen engagement.

“We are calling on governments to drive the procurement process and open contracting, and to make information available on their portals. Governments must also fund the capacity building of staff to manage these systems effectively,” Abagi said.

Citing widespread shortcomings in public infrastructure, she noted that Nigeria does not have schools or hospitals that can be proud of.

She said, “Our politicians fly their children abroad for education and medical care, while many communities lack access to clean water—even in cities like Abuja.”

She emphasised that the Transparency for Citizens Engagement Project, funded by the MacArthur Foundation and implemented in Kaduna, Ekiti, and Adamawa states, has shown promising outcomes, especially in Kaduna and Ekiti where citizen-friendly portals were developed.

She said, “Citizens can now engage directly and access updates, but we are seeing a political drop-off, particularly in Kaduna, in utilising these platforms,”

Reflecting on the challenges, Abagi noted the importance of government ownership.

She said, “This is not the responsibility of civil society alone. It is government’s duty to inform citizens on how taxpayer money is spent.”

In her goodwill message, the United Nations and ECOWAS Country Representative (UM Women) Beatrice Eyong, represented by Dr Chukwuemeka Onyimadu, commended the PPDC and its partners.

She said that open procurement creates opportunities for women-led businesses and marginalised communities.

“Through the Open Contracting Data Standard and Open Government Partnership, Nigeria is making commendable progress towards inclusive governance,” Eyong said.

She said PPDC’s efforts have laid the groundwork for sustainable reforms by strengthening procurement systems, improving data transparency, and empowering civil society.