Role of Ethics and Transparency in Public Project Procurement in Gombe State, North East Nigeria

Ethical procurement practices and transparency in public project management are foundational to efficient public resource utilization and citizen trust in government, yet corruption in project procurement remains a documented challenge in North East Nigeria. This study examines the role of ethics and transparency in public project procurement in Gombe State. A descriptive survey will recruit 170 procurement officers, project managers, contractors, and civil society representatives from the Gombe State Bureau of Procurement and associated MDAs. A structured questionnaire will assess adherence to due process, competitive bidding practices, documentation transparency, and whistleblower protection. The Transparency International Corruption Perception indicators will supplement the study framework. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression will identify predictors of ethical compliance. Evidence from North East Nigeria indicates that procurement transparency weaknesses are closely linked to project abandonment and inflated contract prices. Findings will inform the Gombe State Anti-Corruption Commission's project procurement reform agenda and contribute to national public procurement integrity discourse. Keywords: ethics, transparency, public procurement, Gombe State, anti-corruption