The 7th Africa Procurement and Supply Chain Summit & Awards, held July 3–4, 2025, at the Oriental Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos, brought together Africa’s top procurement and supply chain leaders. Organized by InstinctWave, the event themed “Driving Impact through Innovation” convened industry experts, government officials, and professionals to shape the future of procurement across the continent.

InstinctWave CEO Akin Naphtal opened the summit, emphasizing its role as a pan-African platform. “Our vision is to position procurement professionals as strategic partners in national and continental development,” Naphtal said. “This summit bridges sectors, fosters dialogue, and showcases best practices.”

Dr. Clever Ruswa, CEO of Zimbabwe’s Procurement Regulatory Authority, delivered a keynote urging sustainable procurement practices. “We must build systems that prioritize efficiency, environmental protection, and community development,” Ruswa stated. Edwin Muhumuza, Head of Africa at Open Contracting Partnership, USA, echoed this, advocating for transparency and accountability through open contracting to transform procurement systems.

Panel discussions tackled critical topics. Cephas Afebuameh (Flour Mills of Nigeria), Adeola Oduntan (MTN Nigeria), and Dr. John Ngeno (Kenya Power) explored supplier relationship management, emphasizing trust and resilience. A governance-focused panel featured QS Raheem Abdulbaki (Kwara State Public Procurement Agency), Amb. Prof Robert Tay (DVLA Ghana), and Engr. Sanusi Aminu Yero (Kaduna State Public Procurement Authority), who shared strategies for ethical and efficient procurement aligned with global standards.

A standout women-only panel on empowering women in supply chains included Unwana Utuk, Nkechi Esechie (Pladis Foods), Gloria Nyanteh (Ghana’s National Petroleum Authority), and Lucy James Abagi (PPDC). They called for mentorship and policy changes to boost gender equity, sparking vibrant discussions on inclusion.

MTN Nigeria dominated the 2025 procurement awards, clinching titles in Strategic Sourcing, Sustainability, Digital Innovation, and Supply Chain Resilience. Ghana’s National Petroleum Authority secured Best SOE in Procurement Operations and Public Sector Procurement Team of the Year (Gold), while the Volta River Authority earned Excellence in Vendor Engagement and a Silver Team award.

Nigeria’s National Communication Commission was honored for Public Sector Compliance and Team of the Year. Lagos and Kaduna State Public Procurement Agencies were recognized for governance and e-procurement innovation, respectively. Kenya Power and Zimbabwe’s Procurement Regulatory Authority excelled in equality and inclusion.

In the private sector, Flour Mills of Nigeria won for agro-industrial supply chain management, and Reliance Infosystems was named Supply Chain Transformation Provider. The Open Contracting Partnership was celebrated for global procurement transparency, while Coca-Cola HBC’s Project Elevate Cohort 3 won for Women in Supply Chain.

Young Procurement CEOs Nii Obodai Doku and Rodney Boatey were recognized, alongside Gloria Nyanteh, Outstanding Woman in Public Procurement, and Jacob Fosu-Kyei, Innovative Public Procurement Leader. Dr. John Ngeno and Emem James Kanico were lauded for leadership and ethics, while Engr. Sanusi Aminu Yero and Tanko Shamaki Assemboh were honored for transparency. Dr. Clever Ruswa was named Africa Public Procurement Personality of the Year, underscoring the continent’s commitment to ethical procurement.

The summit fostered networking, partnerships, and a shared commitment to innovation. “This event reflects the sector’s values—accountability, leadership, and progress,” Naphtal said. The 2025 summit and awards have set a high bar, inspiring continued advancements in Africa’s procurement and supply chain landscape.

ABOUT INSTINCTWAVE

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, founded in 2005 in England, InstinctWave is Africa’s premium B2B event, media and digital solutions specialist, one of the few organisations in the Corporate events Management industry to achieve international ISO certification.

With footprints in seven African countries—Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Liberia, Rwanda, and Botswana— we are the organizer of the highly successful Ghana Information Technology & Telecom Awards (GITTA), now rebranded as Digital Innovation Awards (DIA), in its 14th year, Africa Digital Economy Awards (ADEA) in its 10th year, MarketingWorld Awards in its 14th year, Tech Innovation Awards (TIA) now in its 9th year, The Africa Public Sector Conference & Awards (APSCA) in its 6th year, Africa Construction and Real Estate Awards in its 3rd Year, Africa Human Resource Innovation Awards in its 5th year and other industry related events across Africa.