A Professional Review of Contract Management Practices in Nigerian Government Procurement

Government procurement contracts represent the largest category of public expenditure in Nigeria, yet contract management practices in federal and state procurement agencies are characterised by inadequate documentation, poor variation control, and legal vulnerability that collectively contribute to Nigeria's infrastructure delivery failure. This study provides a professional review of contract management legal frameworks and practical compliance in 20 federal government procurement contracts awarded between 2020 and 2023, drawing on data from the Bureau of Public Procurement, contract files, and interviews with 25 procurement officers and contract attorneys. The Public Procurement Act 2007, Federal Financial Regulations, and Standard Request for Proposals guidelines are assessed against observed practice. Results indicate that variation order management is the most legally problematic aspect of government contract management, with 73 percent of reviewed contracts recording variation orders in excess of the 10 percent threshold requiring fresh procurement approval. Liquidated damages provisions are rarely enforced, removing contractual incentives for timely performance. Force majeure and dispute resolution clauses are inadequate in most standard government contract forms. The study concludes that contract management capability gaps are as significant a problem as legislative gaps and recommends mandatory contract management training for all procurement officers, introduction of electronic contract management systems in all federal MDAs, and reform of the Public Procurement Act to strengthen variation order oversight.

Keywords: government procurement, contract management, Public Procurement Act, variation orders, Bureau of Public Procurement