The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has cautioned procurement and accounting officers across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) against exploiting the newly approved procurement threshold to perpetrate fraud, warning that the reforms must instead be used to strengthen transparency and accountability in public spending.
Ola Olukoyede, EFCC Chairman, gave the warning on Thursday during a sensitisation programme organised by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) in Abuja for procurement and accounting officials.
Olukoyede was represented at the event by the Director of Public Affairs and Commander of the EFCC, CE Wilson Uwujaren.
Olukoyede commended the BPP for educating MDAs on the revised thresholds, which were approved by President Bola Tinubu in May 2025.
He said the changes give MDAs wider authority to award low-level contracts but stressed that the new powers must not be abused.
“MDAs now have greater authority and opportunities to award low-level contracts, which is commendable. But let me sound a note of caution: this new procurement threshold calls for responsible and accountable conduct.
“The contract-awarding authorities should not see the review as an opportunity for personal financial gains but as a privilege to streamline and sanitise procurement processes of the government”, he said.
He explained that the EFCC’s Fraud Risk Assessment and Control (FRAC) Department is monitoring compliance with existing laws to prevent procurement-related fraud, urging all officers to familiarise themselves with the updated guidelines.
“Ignorance is not an excuse in law,” he warned, expressing confidence in the BPP’s ability to enforce the new measures effectively.
Shaakaa Chira, Auditor-General of the Federation, also backed the revised guidelines, describing them as timely given rising inflation, the depreciating naira and evolving cost structures in the public sector.
He said the new thresholds would help eliminate bottlenecks, speed up project delivery and improve accountability, provided officers show commitment to ethical practices.
Delivering a presentation at the event, the Director-General of the BPP, Adeboyale Adedokun, emphasised that procurement officers must protect public resources and uphold integrity.
He said officers should consider it “an honour to say no to wrong processes” rather than expose themselves to criminal investigations.
“There should be a structure to how procurement is done in every agency. Where there are gaps, let us improve.
“The prices that are given should reflect the true value of the product. No contract should be awarded on the basis of preliminary design. It is our duty to correct all loopholes. Nigeria should lead in public procurement systems that give value to citizens”, Adedokun said.
He added that the BPP is working on a platform that will enable continuous engagement, sharing of best practices and identification of challenges across MDAs.
Other contributions came from representatives of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, all of whom underscored the need for ethical standards in public procurement.
