CIPSMN Inducts 562 Members, Seeks Fight against Procurement Corruption - THISDAYLIVE

The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply Management of Nigeria (CIPSMN) has inducted 562 new graduate professional members, charging them to uphold ethical standards and use their expertise to strengthen accountability, transparency and value for money in Nigeria’s procurement system.

Speaking at the Batch ‘B’ 2026 induction ceremony held in Abuja, President of the institute, Sikiru Balogun, said the growing importance of procurement to governance and national development had placed greater responsibility on professionals in the sector.

Balogun said procurement and supply chain management had moved beyond being a back-office function to becoming a strategic driver of value, transparency and accountability in both the public and private sectors.

“Procurement and Supply Chain Management is no longer a back office function; rather, it is a strategic driver of value, transparency and accountability in both the public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy,” he said.

He urged the inductees to combine technical competence with integrity, sound judgment and good conduct, particularly when faced with pressures that could undermine professional standards.

According to him, procurement professionals have a critical role to play in ensuring that public projects are delivered within stipulated timelines, while securing value for money and ensuring that goods and services procured are fit for purpose.

“In Nigeria today, where procurement plays a critical role in governance and development owing to the huge investment made by the governments at various levels, your responsibility carries greater weight,” Balogun said.

He urged the new professionals to become part of a new generation of specialists committed to strengthening due process, preventing corruption, tackling inefficiency and contributing to national development.

Balogun also called on the inductees to contribute to reducing procurement-related corruption through advocacy and strict adherence to the institute’s professional code of ethics, rules and regulations.

“I will advise each and every one of us not to let the present state of the Nigerian economy be a no concern; rather, let’s strive to reduce the procurement-related corruption of our nation through resounding advocacy and adherence to the professional code of ethics as well as rules and regulations in the conduct of Procurement and Supply Chain Management function,” he said.

He reminded the inductees that their induction marked the beginning of their professional development, urging them to embrace continuous learning in response to technological advancements, global trends and changing regulatory frameworks.

The CIPSMN president further charged them to uphold professionalism, integrity, accountability, transparency and fairness in their respective organisations. “Let your conduct reflect the highest standards of professionalism,” he said.

Balogun urged the new members to become ambassadors of positive change in Nigeria’s procurement landscape, particularly as the profession increasingly embraces sustainable procurement and considerations around environmental, social and economic factors.

“Be bold in your pursuit of excellence, be diligent in your responsibilities, and be ethical in your decisions. Above all, be ambassadors of positive change in Nigeria Procurement landscape,” he said.

Also speaking, Registrar of the institute, Prof. Mohammed Aliyu, called on President Bola Tinubu to address concerns surrounding procurement and supply chain management practice in Nigeria and direct the process for inaugurating the National Council on Public Procurement (NCPP).

Aliyu said greater attention should be given to professional standards in the sector, warning that allowing individuals without the requisite knowledge and qualifications to practise procurement could create room for fraud, corruption and bid rigging.

“At this juncture, we call on Mr President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), to kindly look into the issue regarding procurement and supply chain management professionalism and practice in Nigeria and do the needful as applicable to other recognised professional bodies in Nigeria, and direct the process for inaugurating the National Council on Public Procurement (NCPP),” he said.

The registrar said Nigeria also needed to bridge the skills gap through innovation, resilience and sustainability in procurement strategies, while shifting emphasis from certificates to demonstrated competence.

“In order to secure the economic future of our dear country, we must reason together and bridge the skills gap through greenness, resilience, innovation and sustainability in procurement and supply chain management strategies, shift from credential obsession to competence right focus, and ensure professional, technical ability and degree certificates translate into decent work,” Aliyu said.

He expressed concern over what he described as the increasing involvement of people without the requisite knowledge in procurement practice, saying the development could expose the system to malpractice.

“Things are not well with the procurement practice in Nigeria, which has become everyone’s love and fight to practise without the necessary prerequisite knowledge, and this gives room for fraud, corruption through bid rigging and many more,” he said.

Aliyu urged procurement professionals and other stakeholders to continue working with the government despite the prevailing economic challenges, stressing the need for cooperation among professional bodies and government institutions to improve the country’s economic fortunes.

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