By Kunle Sanni –
Vice President Kashim Shettima has said that the economic and governance reforms of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration are gradually restoring the confidence of the international community in Nigeria.
Shettima made the remark on Thursday at the inaugural convocation ceremony of the Professionals’ Certification Programme (PCP), held at the Old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hadejia, the Vice President said the participation of foreign professionals in the programme was a clear indication that Nigeria’s reform agenda is gaining global trust.
According to him, the graduation of 2,100 certified procurement professionals from Nigeria and other countries marks a major milestone in the implementation of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“The participation of professionals from outside Nigeria shows that the global community is beginning to believe in the credibility of our reforms and the seriousness of this programme,” Shettima said. “Nigeria is no longer satisfied with mediocrity in procurement practices and is positioning itself as a benchmark within Africa and beyond.”
The Vice President recalled that public procurement in Nigeria was previously treated as a routine administrative function, often misunderstood and abused. He noted that under the current administration, procurement has become central to governance and national development.
“When procurement fails, development fails,” he said, adding that effective procurement determines how public resources are translated into roads, hospitals, schools, security infrastructure, and social services.
Shettima stressed that transparency, prudence, and strategic management of public resources are critical to Nigeria’s development ambitions, describing procurement reform as “the engine room of development” under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
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