By Nkechi Eze
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria (CIPSMN) has petitioned an anti-corruption agency, seeking urgent investigation and prosecution of the trustees and members of the Procurement Professionals Association of Nigeria (PPAN) over alleged violations of extant laws, illegal professional practices, abuse of office and subversion of statutory authority.
In the petition, signed by the Registrar and Chief Executive of CIPSMN, Prof. M. J. Aliyu, the Institute accused PPAN and some of its leading figures, including public office holders, of willfully undermining Nigeria’s legal and institutional framework for regulating procurement practice. The Institute described the alleged actions as capable of eroding public trust, weakening professional integrity and bringing statutory institutions into disrepute.
CIPSMN stated that it was established by the CIPSMN Act of 2007 as the sole statutory professional body empowered to regulate, train, certify and control procurement, purchasing and supply chain management practice in Nigeria. According to the Institute, this mandate is clearly defined in law and leaves no room for parallel or unregulated bodies to assume professional authority in the procurement space.
The petition alleged that PPAN, despite having no legal standing or recognition, has continued to present itself as a professional procurement body. CIPSMN claimed that none of the trustees or members of PPAN is registered with the Institute in any capacity, yet the association has allegedly organised workshops, issued certificates and used professional titles reserved exclusively for members of CIPSMN, in clear violation of the Act establishing the Institute.
The Institute further alleged that PPAN was deregistered by the Corporate Affairs Commission in March 2013 but has continued to operate openly in defiance of the law. According to CIPSMN, the continued activities of the association after its deregistration amount to a breach of the Companies and Allied Matters Act and raise serious questions about regulatory compliance and enforcement.
In a particularly strong allegation, CIPSMN accused the Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement of engaging with and endorsing PPAN and other unrecognised bodies, including the Association of Public Procurement Practitioners and the Nigerian Procurement Certification Programme. The Institute argued that such engagements amount to abuse of office and a deliberate attempt to undermine the statutory role of CIPSMN, stressing that the legal mandate of the Bureau of Public Procurement is limited to issuing Certificates of No Objection in line with the Public Procurement Act.
CIPSMN maintained that the Bureau has no authority to certify, recognise or endorse individuals or organisations as procurement professionals, adding that any such action contradicts the law and creates confusion within the public service and the wider procurement ecosystem.
The petition also alleged that PPAN and similar groups have misled public institutions and senior government officials into participating in their activities, thereby conferring an appearance of legitimacy on organisations that, according to CIPSMN, are operating outside the law. The Institute warned that such developments pose a serious risk to governance, accountability and professionalism in public procurement.
In its appeal, CIPSMN urged the anti-graft agency to carry out a thorough investigation into the activities of PPAN, its trustees and members, especially those occupying public offices. The Institute also called for decisive action to halt all official engagements with unrecognised procurement bodies and to ensure that offenders are prosecuted in accordance with relevant laws.
Reaffirming its confidence in the Commission’s mandate to uphold the rule of law and protect statutory institutions, CIPSMN said it is ready to provide documentary evidence, witnesses and further clarifications to support a comprehensive investigation. The Institute expressed hope that prompt action would prevent further deception of government institutions and safeguard the integrity of procurement practice in Nigeria.
Copies of the petition were also forwarded to the Attorney General of the Federation, the Corporate Affairs Commission and the Bureau of Public Procurement, underscoring the gravity of the allegations and the Institute’s resolve to see the matter addressed decisively.
