LAGOS STATE SHINES AT AFRICA PROCUREMENT SUMMIT WITH LANDMARK CASE STUDY ON GOVERNANCE

 

By Kayode Olopade 

The 7th Africa Procurement and Supply Chain Summit & Awards, held at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos, served as a pivotal platform for Lagos State to showcase its transformative strides in public procurement governance.

Delivering a compelling case study, Mr. Fatai Idowu Onafowote, Director-General of the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency (PPA), presented a detailed account of how the State’s strategic reforms have positioned it as a continental model for transparent, efficient, and inclusive procurement systems.

Addressing a distinguished audience of policy experts, procurement professionals, and stakeholders from across Africa, Onafowote emphasized Lagos State’s commitment to using procurement as a governance tool rather than a routine bureaucratic activity.“Through sustained reform, strong leadership, and institutional commitment, the Lagos State PPA has positioned itself as a model of transparency, digital transformation, and regulatory compliance,” he stated.

The presentation, titled “Promoting Governance in Public Procurement – The Lagos State Experience,” highlighted several key initiatives by the Lagos PPA, including the deployment of an e-Procurement platform that enhances transparency and traceability throughout the procurement cycle. He also cited the agency’s robust capacity-building programmes for procurement officers across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

A significant aspect of his presentation was Lagos State’s pioneering efforts in gender-responsive procurement, aimed at increasing the participation of women-led businesses in public contracting. This, he noted, reflects the state’s broader commitment to inclusion and economic empowerment.Onafowote was candid about the challenges encountered—such as resistance to change, capacity limitations, and hurdles in technology adoption.

 However, he noted that these were being actively addressed through innovation, stakeholder engagement, and continuous professional development.“By sharing our story,” Onafowote declared, “we hope to contribute to the continental discourse on procurement best practices and inspire bold, context-sensitive reforms in other African subnational and national systems.”Beyond sharing Lagos’s success story, he urged participants to pursue collaboration and regional cooperation as vital tools for advancing procurement practices in Africa. He advocated for digital interoperability, shared capacity development, and mutual learning among peer institutions across the continent.“Active engagement and partnerships like this summit will strengthen local content, deepen value chains, and drive real impact,” he noted.He reaffirmed Lagos State’s readiness to collaborate with development partners and peer agencies on research and capacity-building efforts aimed at deepening procurement governance reforms across Africa.

Other notable speakers at the summit included Dr. Clever Ruswa, Chief Executive Officer of the Procurement Regulatory Authority, Zimbabwe, who delivered a lecture on “Sustainable Procurement and Supply Chain Management.” Dr. Ruswa emphasized that procurement decisions must reflect a commitment to a sustainable future—balancing environmental protection, economic growth, and the adoption of digital platforms to enhance accessibility and accountability.Similarly, Mr. Edwin Muhumuza, Head of Africa at the Open Contracting Partnership, Uganda, spoke on the value of open contracting, highlighting how it promotes competition, improves efficiency, and ensures better value for public spending.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Akin Naphtal, CEO of Instinct Wave and Publisher of Instinct Business, said the summit was organized to foster peer learning among procurement professionals and strengthen systems that are efficient, transparent, resilient, and future-ready. 

He emphasized that the Pan-African platform was created to encourage meaningful dialogue and showcase procurement excellence across the continent.“Procurement professionals are not just back-office operatives—they are strategic partners in national and continental development,” Naphtal asserted.

The summit concluded with an awards ceremony recognizing outstanding contributions to procurement reform and innovation. The Lagos State Public Procurement Agency received the prestigious “Excellence in Public Sector Procurement Governance” award. Additionally, Mr. Fatai Idowu Onafowote was honoured with the “Public Procurement Leadership Award”, underscoring his role in championing reform-driven governance in procurement.

The Lagos State delegation’s active and visible participation further reinforced the state’s strategic relevance on the continental stage, positioning it as a reference point for other African jurisdictions seeking to modernize their procurement systems.

The two-day summit, themed “Building Resilient Institutions and Strengthening Governance in Supply Chains,” brought together procurement leaders, development partners, and private sector stakeholders to share innovations and forge alliances that can shape the future of public procurement across Africa.