Abstract

In recent times there has been public expression of concerns over poor implementation of the 2007 Public Procurement Act in Nigeria. Blame has been traded, with the executive branch of government taking much of the blame. This paper examines the state of implementation of the Act with a view to assess the causes and appropriately situating the blame. Utilizing descriptive documentary design, content analysis and the institutional theory, the study identified a number of causes for the inadequate implementation. It found out that non-compliance with the provisions of the Act, occasioned by the institutional weaknesses of the regulatory framework and inadequate funding to the regulatory institution contribute to poor implementation of the Act. With respect to situating the blame for the inadequacies in the implementation, a number of actors have been indicted. These include the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. Against this backdrop, the study recommends both policy and non-policy measures including modification of the Act with emphasis on strict compliance; a strong and credible enforcement mechanism consisting of effective detection and diligent investigation, efficient prosecution, speedy adjudication and effective sanctions against culpable parties to arrest the pervasive culture of non-compliance.