A policy and public affairs analyst, Mr Ndagi El’Sudi, has commended President Bola Tinubu for his decision to withhold assent to the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria (CIPSMN) Amendment Bill.
In a statement on Friday in Abuja, El’Sudi described the decision as necessary to protect Nigeria’s procurement system and prevent regulatory conflicts.
He argued that the proposed amendment sought to grant the institute, powers beyond its statutory mandate.
According to him, it seeks regulatory oversight, compliance enforcement, inspection of organisations and influence over the appointment of procurement heads in public and private entities.
El’Sudi said that Tinubu’s refusal to sign the bill was based on legal, ethical and operational concerns.
The analyst said that some of the proposed provisions conflicted with the Public Procurement Act (PPA) (2007) and the statutory responsibilities of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).
He recalled that previous attempts to introduce similar amendments had reportedly been rejected by stakeholders and relevant government agencies in 2007, 2024 and 2025 over concerns about institutional overlap and legal inconsistencies.
“The proposed amendments would create regulatory confusion by encroaching on the powers already vested in the BPP, particularly in the areas of procurement regulation, professional training and certification,” he said.
He urged the National Assembly to exercise greater scrutiny when considering amendments to existing laws, particularly where such changes could create conflicts with established legislation.
El’Sudi noted that the enactment of the Public Procurement Act (2007) empowered the BPP to regulate public procurement, promote transparency, competition and value for money in government contracting.
He commended the bureau’s recent reforms under its Director-General, Dr Adebowale Adedokun, citing reported savings through the Nigeria Open Contracting Portal (NOCOPO), digital procurement initiatives, contractor sanctions and collaborations with international development partners.
El’Sudi urged the CIPSMN to focus on its statutory responsibilities rather than pursuing an expansion of powers that could undermine Nigeria’s procurement framework.