Dr. Clever Ruswa, CEO of Zimbabwe’s Procurement Regulatory Authority (PRAZ) and current President of the Africa Public Procurement Network (APPN), delivered a compelling keynote at the 7th Africa Procurement and Supply Chain Summit held at the Lagos Oriental Hotel in Nigeria. His address, titled “Sustainable Procurement: A Case Study of Procurement Regulatory Authority,” underscored the critical role of sustainability, digital transformation, and inclusivity as foundational pillars for modern public procurement across the continent.
Ruswa emphatically stated that sustainability is not optional but essential for Africa’s future, urging procurement leaders to prioritise environmentally friendly products and integrate green criteria throughout procurement processes. Drawing on Zimbabwe’s experience, he highlighted the country’s rapid adoption of an electronic government procurement system, implemented within a year through collaboration with Indian and Nigerian partners. This digital transition, he explained, leverages artificial intelligence and data analytics to enhance transparency, optimise decision-making, and improve efficiency in public procurement.
In addition to technological innovation, Ruswa advocated for broader supplier diversity, encouraging affirmative practices to support small, minority-owned, and special interest group businesses. He emphasised the need to simplify procurement procedures to stimulate local economic growth through robust public-private partnerships and championed innovative contracting methods such as performance-based contracts to drive value and foster creative solutions.
As APPN President, Ruswa also stressed capacity-building among procurement practitioners, inviting them to participate in initiatives like those offered by the South Africa Public Procurement Network. He called for the establishment of strong metrics, regular audits, and inclusive stakeholder engagement to ensure accountability and create resilient procurement frameworks that contribute to economic growth across Africa.
The African Public Procurement Network, established in 2018 and comprising public procurement authorities from 46 African countries, serves as a pivotal platform for fostering cooperation and knowledge sharing to improve procurement practices continent-wide. Headquartered in Lomé, Togo, APPN is structured into five sub-regional groups and offers comprehensive, multilingual training and capacity-building programmes. Its 2024 Knowledge Creation and Sharing Programme specifically aims to improve the skills and effectiveness of public procurement officials through webinars, knowledge-sharing sessions, and free introductory courses tailored for diverse linguistic and regional contexts.
Previous APPN assemblies have reinforced the significance of sustainable public procurement (SPP) as a strategic lever for Africa’s economic resilience and environmental commitments. The fourth General Assembly, held in Kigali, Rwanda, in late 2024, specifically highlighted green procurement practices such as prioritising electric vehicles and establishing low-emission supply chains to promote eco-friendly innovation. Rwanda’s launch of its Sustainable Public Procurement Policy Framework during that event exemplified national commitment to responsible procurement.
Other African nations, such as South Africa, have recognised the vast potential of public procurement, which makes up approximately 15% of its GDP, to address pressing environmental challenges—water scarcity, pollution, and carbon emissions—through green public procurement initiatives. Yet, barriers remain that require systematic regulatory and implementation enhancements supported by rigorous frameworks and practical policy recommendations.
The momentum generated by these various efforts reflects a growing consensus that modern, transparent, and inclusive public procurement systems can significantly contribute to regional development goals. By integrating sustainable practices, digital tools, and capacity-building programmes, African countries can drive economic growth, support small and medium-sized enterprises, and advance environmental sustainability across the continent.
Speaking with conviction, Dr. Ruswa concluded his keynote by reminding the summit attendees that “together, we can build a procurement framework that fosters resilience and economic growth across Africa,” encouraging them to embrace sustainability and innovation as the pathways forward. His vision aligns with the broader APPN mission to strengthen procurement as a pivotal instrument for regional integration, development, and sustainable progress.
Source: Noah Wire Services