Empowering Transparency: Mirroring Ebonyi State's Procurement Reform
Ebonyi State is one that has been actively pursuing fiscal policy reform, particularly in the realm of public procurement. Among the Nigerian states, it stands as one of the vanguards in this pursuit and executes an open contracting data standards portal, a powerful tool for promoting transparency and accountability.
I recently delved into the dataset on this portal, and this is what I found:
The data available on the Ebonyi OCDS portal reveals an impressive total of over 115 billion Naira worth of contracts reported by nine (9) pilot Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). This data encompasses records spanning from 2018 to 2023, demonstrating a consistent commitment to transparency and open contracting in the state.
Year OCDS reported contract amount in naira
2018 61.7bn
2019 33.5bn
2020 6.29bn
2021 2.96bn
2022 10.82bn
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2023 173.99M
Total 115bn(Approx.)
Also, I found Ebonyi's published OCDS dataset to be more detailed than other States implementing OCDS. (Disclaimer: I want to clarify that I have no association with any government officials or civil society organizations that might have influenced the findings in this report. The information provided is solely based on independent research and analysis using open data)
Within this dataset, we find a rich array of information, including 298 distinct projects with unique identifiers and Open Contracting IDs (OCIDs). This wealth of data involves interactions with 896 different tenderers and the active participation of nine (9) procuring entities. Notably, the average tender duration, standing at 21 days, aligns with the stipulations of the public procurement law, highlighting Ebonyi State's commitment to due process and efficiency.
A detailed analysis of the data reveals an interesting pattern. Except for the Ministry of Works and Transport, all MDAs' contracts and their implementation have fallen below their planning budgets. This insight offers room for further exploration into the underlying factors contributing to these variances and opens opportunities for optimizing resource allocation and utilization.
Furthermore, it is noteworthy that all the pilot MDAs have engaged at least two suppliers since 2018 for contracts amounting to at least one million naira. This widespread engagement underscores the state's drive to diversify its supplier base and promote competition among suppliers, fostering economic inclusivity and promoting fair business practices but there’s room for more.
Of particular interest is the prominence of China Zhonghao Nig Ltd as a supplier. This company has executed the largest cumulative contract amount from 2018 onwards, indicating its substantial involvement in the state's procurement activities. This data presents an opportunity to delve deeper into the nature of these contracts and the impact they have had on the state's development and economic landscape.
Finally, Ebonyi State's commitment to reforming its fiscal policy through transparent public procurement is clear through the wealth of data available on its OCDS portal. The state's diligence in adhering to tender duration standards, engaging multiple suppliers, and the active management of contracts is commendable. This data provides a valuable foundation for further analysis and exploration, fostering better governance, economic development, and enhanced accountability within the state.