Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima has said that ongoing reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration are beginning to restore the confidence of the global community in Nigeria. Speaking at the inaugural Convocation Ceremony of the Professionals’ Certification Programme (NPCP) at the Old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, VP Shettima noted that the participation of foreign professionals in the programme reflects Nigeria’s growing credibility in public procurement and governance reforms.

The Vice President commended the first cohort of 2,100 certified procurement professionals, urging them to uphold integrity, transparency, and public trust in their practice. He emphasized that public procurement is central to governance, shaping the quality of roads, healthcare, schools, and other social services, and stressed that graduates are now stewards of value for money and custodians of public trust across the nation.

VP Shettima also highlighted the contributions of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), the SPESSE Project, the World Bank, and other development partners in building a professional and ethical procurement workforce. He noted that President Tinubu has approved the full deployment of community-based procurement officers nationwide to align with global standards, enhance accountability, and ensure judicious utilisation of public resources, underscoring the administration’s commitment to transparency, capacity building, and sustainable development.