The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria (CIPSMN) has urged President Bola Tinubu to safeguard the nation’s public procurement and supply chain system from “less knowledgeable people” undermining its effectiveness.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday, CIPSMN President, Mr. Sikiru Balogun, warned that a decline in professionalism was harming Nigeria’s investment prospects and governance.
“It’s been poorly managed to the detriment of environmental, social, and economic development, and in violation of the rule of law, regulations, ethics, policies, procedures, and professionalism,” Balogun said.
He likened the sector to medicine and accounting, arguing it should be handled only by certified professionals. “You cannot attend to a patient or prescribe drugs if you are not a qualified medical doctor; you cannot conduct a financial audit if you are not a chartered accountant. The same applies to procurement and supply chain management worldwide,” he added.
Balogun explained that the CIPSMN, established by law in 2007, sets academic standards, regulates practitioners, and offers training and examinations. He stressed that effective procurement could cut costs, boost productivity, and ensure transparency in government spending.
“With efficient procurement management, any nation can ensure transparency from purchase to payment,” he noted, adding that unqualified practitioners often provide inadequate and counterproductive advice to government.
He called for continuous monitoring of the system to generate data for policymaking, enforce professional standards, and support the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
