Nigeria loses trillions of naira in inefficiency and opacity every year through manual, paper-based public contracting. That era is closing. At this year’s NBA Annual General Conference, one of the most anticipated plenary sessions turns the spotlight on how e-procurement, the Nigeria First Policy and digital transformation are reshaping the future of public contracting in Nigeria, and what it all means for lawyers.
The session will unpack three critical areas: first, how the Nigeria First Policy is balancing local content with global competitiveness in ICT procurement, examining its legal basis, the preference for indigenous ICT companies, and compliance with the Public Procurement Act 2007. Second, how e-procurement platforms, government cloud infrastructure, data protection safeguards and audit trails are driving transparency and accountability in public contracting. Third, and perhaps most importantly for the legal profession, the evolving role of lawyers in drafting procurement contracts, ensuring regulatory compliance, managing procurement risk and navigating bid protest mechanisms in this new digital era.
Leading the conversation is Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, whose reforms including the Bureau’s paperless mandate and the Nigeria First Policy have set the pace for procurement digitisation nationwide. He is joined by Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, DG/CEO of NITDA, bringing a technology regulator’s perspective on AI strategy, data protection and digital infrastructure; Fatai Idowu Onafowote, Director General of the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency, offering insight from one of Nigeria’s most active subnational procurement systems; and Engr. Sanusi Aminu Yero, Director General of the Kaduna State Public Procurement Authority, sharing lessons from repositioning a state procurement institution around transparency and ethical conduct.
Adding a rare private-sector and industry voice to the panel is Leo Stan Ekeh, OFR, Chairman of the Zinox Group and a pioneer of Nigeria’s digital and e-commerce transformation, whose decades of building indigenous technology infrastructure offer a unique lens on where public procurement and private enterprise meet.
The session will be moderated by Andrew Osemedua Odom, SAN, Managing Solicitor at A.O. Odum SAN & Co. and a seasoned voice in procurement and construction law, and coordinated by Dr. Faith Amarachi Okpara, Vice Chair of the Data Privacy Lawyers Association of Nigeria (DPLAN).
Session: E-Commerce and Procurement
Date: Tuesday 25th August 2026
Time: 1:30pm to 3:00pm
Venue: Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia, Port Harcourt, Rivers State
Speakers:
Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, DG, BPP (Lead Speaker)
Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, DG/CEO, NITDA
Fatai Idowu Onafowote, DG, Lagos State BPP
Engr. Sanusi Aminu Yero, DG, Kaduna State BPP
Leo Stan Ekeh, OFR, Chairman, Zinox Group
Moderator: Andrew Osemedua Odom, SAN
Coordinator: Dr. Faith Amarachi Okpara
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