ABUJA — The Federal Government has called for the adoption of strategic public procurement to strengthen logistics systems, reduce post-harvest losses and improve food security across Africa.
Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, made the call on Tuesday at the Africa Procurement and Supply Chain Summit and Awards 2026 in Lagos.
Speaking on the theme, “Public Procurement is Live: Creating Opportunities for Sustainable Growth in Africa,” Ogunbiyi said procurement has evolved into a critical tool for economic transformation and improved public service delivery.
“Public procurement is no longer a back-office function but a strategic instrument for economic transformation, institutional strengthening and improving citizens’ quality of life,” he said.
He noted that governments spend between 12 and 20 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) through procurement, stressing that such spending must be leveraged to drive industrial growth, job creation and infrastructure development.
Ogunbiyi identified weak logistics and supply chain systems as major contributors to food losses and high prices across Africa.
“This is particularly significant for Africa, where supply chain inefficiencies remain one of the greatest constraints to economic growth and regional competitiveness,” he said.
He listed poor transport networks, inadequate logistics infrastructure, fragmented cross-border systems, high freight costs and limited warehousing as key challenges undermining efficiency.
“For farmers, these challenges are even more pronounced. Farmers depend on efficient logistics to receive inputs on time, while harvested produce must move quickly to markets,” he added.
“Weak logistics and transportation systems contribute significantly to post-harvest losses, reduce farmers’ incomes, increase food prices and weaken food security across the continent.”
The Permanent Secretary urged governments to deploy transparent and well-planned procurement systems to invest in roads, railways, ports, inland waterways, cold-chain infrastructure and digital logistics platforms.
He also called for the adoption of emerging technologies, including digital procurement systems, e-contract management, artificial intelligence, blockchain and data analytics to modernise supply chains.
“Strengthening transparent, technology-driven procurement and resilient supply chains is critical to realising Agenda 2063 and maximising opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area,” Ogunbiyi said.
He disclosed that the ministry is aligning procurement processes with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, focusing on boosting agricultural productivity, mechanisation, irrigation and value chain development.
“As Accounting Officer, I remain steadfast in ensuring that every procurement process complies with the Public Procurement Act 2007 and is guided by integrity, due process and competition,” he said.
Ogunbiyi added that ongoing reforms include the digitalisation of procurement processes, improved monitoring and evaluation, professionalisation of procurement officers and stronger stakeholder engagement.
The summit brought together procurement and supply chain professionals, government officials, development partners and industry leaders from across Africa, and featured awards recognising excellence in the sector.
