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The Federal Government has endorsed the certification of a new group of procurement officers under the CIPS–HPA Nigeria qualification programme as part of reforms to strengthen accountability and efficiency in the health sector.
The certification, conducted by the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply – Health Procurement Africa Nigeria (CIPS–HPA), is designed to reduce waste, improve transparency, and ensure access to safe and affordable medicines.
At the graduation ceremony in Abuja, the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, the CIPS–HPA Country Director, Chukwudi Uche, and the CIPS–HPA Country Manager, Pharm. Omokhapue Irobodu Joseph, addressed participants.
Dr. Adedokun said the certification signals professional competence and ethical standards in procurement.
“Your success means that woman who requires basic health care and that child who needs basic medical drugs can feel assured that they will get standard prescriptions when they visit any health facility,” he told the graduates.
He added that the initiative would help prevent malpractice in the sector.
“That we now have a crop of people who will say no to fake drugs, who will say no to inflation of contracts, and who will say no to wrong prescriptions is what this certificate means,” he said.
The BPP chief also disclosed that government had revised procurement thresholds to reflect economic realities and introduced standard documents and sourcing strategies for health procurement. He further urged officers to register on the National Procurement Officers Management System, warning that those not listed would not be recognised.
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“If you are not there, you are not a procurement officer. You are a quack,” he said.
CIPS–HPA Country Director, Chukwudi Uche, highlighted the economic benefits of the programme, noting that some participating states had already recorded significant savings.
“Through our support, some of these states have recorded about 40 to 50 per cent improvement in the cost of health products. The implication is that more Nigerians can now access affordable, quality-assured medicines,” Uche said.
He added that improved procurement practices were enabling local manufacturers to plan and invest more effectively, strengthening the supply chain.
CIPS–HPA Country Manager, Pharm. Omokhapue Joseph, explained that participants were drawn from federal and state agencies, including the Federal Ministry of Health, the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, and the BPP.
“We see these officers as catalysts and change agents that can help regulators make better policies and guidelines to reform the health sector,” Joseph said.
He noted that the intervention, supported by the Gates Foundation, was designed to address longstanding weaknesses in health procurement by building capacity and improving accountability.
Officials stressed that the reforms would promote coherence, reduce duplication, and improve efficiency in health procurement across the country.
