IKEJA, LAGOS – In a bid to eliminate project delays, curb inflation of contracts, and build a more competitive business environment, the Lagos State Government has tasked its contractors, consultants, and suppliers to align their operational targets with the state’s aggressive infrastructural drive.
The mandate was delivered at the 2026 Annual Procurement Stakeholders’ Forum held on Wednesday at the Watercress Hotel, Ikeja. Gathered under the theme, “Solid Foundations: Service Providers as the Bedrock of a Prosperous Lagos,” government officials, legislative leaders, and private sector captains discussed ways to bridge the gap between technical bureaucratic procedures and commercial efficiency.
Frontline Partnership for Economic Growth
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Head of Service, Mr. Olabode Agoro, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), Mr. Abdul-Rafiu Omowale Fashola, stressed that Africa’s largest megacity can no longer rely on transactional procurement. Instead, it must leverage knowledge-driven partnerships to expand its tax base and bolster revenue.
”The contributions of stakeholders towards enhancing revenue generation and expanding the state’s tax base are highly valued and duly recognized,” Agoro stated. He emphasized that transparency and value for money remain the fundamental pillars of the state’s current fiscal framework, urging businesses to deeply understand state guidelines to make informed commercial decisions.
Backing this stance, the Chairman of the House Committee on Procurement, Hon. Samuel Apata, reassured the business community that the Lagos State House of Assembly is actively strengthening legislative frameworks to guarantee fairness, transparency, and strict professionalism.
”We will continue to provide the necessary oversight functions to ensure compliance with procurement laws,” Apata warned. “We must collectively work together to eliminate practices that compromise standards, delay projects, or undermine public confidence.”
Digital Reforms Take Center Stage
A major highlight of the forum was the review of Lagos State’s digital procurement transformation. The Director-General of the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency (LSPPA), Mr. Fatai Idowu Onafowote, lauded Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu for championing technological upgrades that are gradually phasing out analogue bottlenecks.
Onafowote described service providers as the literal foundation of public infrastructure. However, he maintained that a prosperous Lagos cannot be built on weak structural bases, demanding strict adherence to project timelines and technical specifications.
”The procurement system must continue to evolve in line with global best practices while ensuring fairness, competitiveness, and inclusiveness,” Onafowote said, reaffirming the agency’s commitment to boosting local capacity through digital innovation and strict enforcement of compliance regulations.
To demystify these regulations, technical sessions were held by key agency heads:
- Ms. Adeola Sanwo (Head of Contractor Registration) provided a step-by-step guide on navigating the statutory requirements and compliance documentation required for seamless business registration and profile upgrades.
- Mr. Akintayo Ogundare (Chief Procurement Officer, Monitoring, Enforcement, and Compliance) delivered a paper titled, “Understanding Procurement Excellence: A Catalyst for Sustainable Development,” which broke down the metrics used by the state to evaluate value for money and ethical execution.
Contractors Demand Better UX on E-Portals
During a candid feedback and experience-sharing session, cross-sections of registered contractors praised the LSPPA for its functional e-registration and e-bidding platforms, noting that digitization had minimized human interference and bribery risks.
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However, they appealed to the state government to optimize the user interface (UI) of the e-registration portal. Representatives of the contractors noted that the platform requires better clarity and user-friendliness to eliminate errors, particularly when businesses are attempting status upgrades or updating sensitive corporate profiles.
The LSPPA concluded the forum by reiterating its commitment to maintaining an open-door policy, promising to review the digital complaints to ensure local businesses can compete fairly for state assets and development projects.
