Keeping the procurement process simple and cost efficient is a major challenge that every government faces. Despite best efforts, the public procurement process is often lengthy, complex, and costly.
In 2014, the Rwandan government created its own e-procurement system, and began the process of becoming the first nation in Africa to experience the benefits of using technology to cut costs and improve transparency. The automated system for processing bids and contracts streamlined processes, reduced the possibility of bidders using falsified documents, and made the procurement process faster and more efficient for both businesses and government organizations. In 2016, the program was piloted in government offices and by 2017 the Rwandan government had scaled the use of the e-procurement platform nationwide.
In 2018, Zambia joined Rwanda as one of the continent’s early adopters of electronic procurement, and other nations have begun to follow suit. As a result of this intervention, contracts to adopt e-procurement have now been signed by Tanzania, Uganda, and other countries across the continent.
Source – World Bank
