FG introduces PICOMS to tackle procurement bottlenecks in education sector

By Shamsudeen Abubakar

The Federal Government has introduced the Procurement Compliance Monitoring Systems (PICOMS), a digital platform aimed at tackling procurement bottlenecks and improving transparency, accountability, and efficiency in procurement processes across Nigeria’s education sector.

The announcement was made on Thursday, March 12, 2026, by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, on the Ministry’s official X (formaly Twitter) account.

According to him, the Honourable Minister of Education, Maruf Olatunji Alausa, CON, announced the initiative during a capacity-building session for procurement officers held at the auditorium of National Universities Commission in Abuja.

PAY ATTENTION: Follow The Lagos Voice on WhatsApp channel for latest updates

He noted that Dr. Alausa stated that the delays in procurement processes have slowed the implementation of key education projects due to incomplete documentation, weak submissions, and procedural lapses.

He further explained that stronger procurement compliance is a key to ensure projects are executed efficiently while safeguarding public resources.

To address these challenges, the Ministry deployed PICOMS to electronically manage procurement processes, track submissions in real time, and shorten approval timelines across the Ministry, its agencies, commissions, parastatals, and tertiary institutions.

In his remark, the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, Adebowale Adebukola Adedokun, pointed to recurring challenges affecting procurement processes, particularly “incomplete documentation and weak procurement submissions.”

The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability, and efficient project delivery across the education sector.