Ahmed Abdu (L) takes over from Babatunde Kuye as Acting Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP)

Ayorinde Oluokun

Mr. Ahmed Abdu, Director of the Agriculture and Water Resources Department, has assumed the position of the acting Director-General of Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP). This followed the reversal of the decision by former Director-General, Mr. Emeka M. Ezeh, to designate Mr. Babatunde Kuye as his successor.

The reversal came in the wake of the discovery that Abdu, and not Kuye, was the most senior Director on the nominal roll in the Bureau. Admitting his error, the former Director-General promptly reversed his initial decision.

At a solemn management meeting in the morning of Friday, 19 February, 2016, Mr. Kuye formally handed over as acting Director-General to Mr. Abdu.

In the spirit of his commitment to cohesion, unity and solidarity within the regulatory agency, Kuye, the substantive Director of the Energy Infrastructure Department of the Bureau, pledged to “give 100% support” to the new acting Director-General.

Mr. Abdu was born on 16 May 1960 in Gololo, Gamawa Local Government Area of Bauchi State. He obtained an M. Sc. in Structural Engineering from Ahmadu Bello University in 1990-1992, after earning a B. Science in Building in 1984 –1987 from the same institution. He had earned a Diploma in Civil Engineering from. Kaduna Polytechnic in 1980 – 1983.

He has received training in International Procurement, Leadership and Management at International Law Institute (ILI), Washington DC, USA and in Monitoring and Evaluation at Royal Institute of Public Administration (RIPA- International), London, UK. He has also received training in several Nigerian institutions, including the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Jos, where he was trained in “Scenario Planning for National Change.”

He started his career in the service of Bauchi State government, where he was involved in the construction and maintenance of township roads and drainages and supervision of construction of urban markets in Bauchi, Gombe, Azare and Misau towns. He later joined African Petroleum plc, where he was involved in the supervision of the design and construction of petroleum retail outlets nationwide. He also handled the rehabilitation of oil installations in various locations in Lagos.

Since joining the Bureau in 2010 as a Director, has served as head of the departments of Civil Infrastructure, Energy Infrastructure and Agriculture and Water Resources. From 11th February 2015 to 1st February 2016, Abdu was posted, on secondment, to the Federal Ministry of Water Resources as Director of Procurement.

He is Corporate Member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE); Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB); and Procurement Professionals Association (PPA).

Engr. Ahmed is married with children and his hobbies are writing and travelling.