Kenya's e-GP system drives transparency with Sh 18.3 Billion in awarded contracts

The National Treasury has announced that the Electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system has successfully facilitated the award of 4,470 contracts valued at approximately Sh 18.3 billion since its official launch.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi revealed the latest figures during a breakfast meeting convened by the Institute of Public Finance (IPF).

According to the Cabinet Secretary, the digital platform has fundamentally altered the landscape of public sector spending, driving transparency and efficiency across government ministries, departments, and agencies.

Since rollout, the platform has successfully onboarded 1,546 procuring entities, processed upwards of 30,000 requisitions, and registered a robust network of 45,000 suppliers eager to engage in transparent public contracting.

A core strength of the e-GP system lies in its interconnectivity with critical government databases. To eliminate bottlenecks, reduce opportunities for fraud, and streamline verification, the platform has been deeply integrated with several key national systems.

These include the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS), the Business Registration Service (BRS), the National Construction Authority (NCA), Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO), and the Kenya Revenue Authority’s i-Tax platform.

This digital harmonization has significantly bolstered accountability, strengthened oversight, and minimized systemic irregularities that historically plagued manual procurement processes.

Highlighting the overarching policy goal, the National Treasury emphasized that the administration is advancing e-GP as a foundational reform to "strengthen oversight, minimise irregularities, enhance competition and secure greater value for money in the use of public resources."

While celebrating the system's rapid technical uptake, CS Mbadi underscored that the ultimate success of the e-GP framework extends far beyond simple software adoption.

He stressed that sustained utilization, strict compliance, and targeted capacity building for both public institutions and private sector suppliers remain paramount.

Particular attention is being directed toward safeguarding the participation of vulnerable and marginalized business groups.

The Treasury noted that deliberate mechanisms are required to ensure micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) alongside businesses owned by youth, women, and persons with disabilities can seamlessly navigate and benefit from digital public procurement.

"The CS emphasised that the success of e-GP will depend not only on onboarding procuring entities but also on sustained system utilisation, compliance and building the capacity of public institutions and suppliers," the National Treasury stated.

Looking ahead, the Treasury is preparing to scale up the platform's capabilities. The upcoming implementation phases will extend the e-GP infrastructure to encompass all remaining public procuring entities that have yet to complete full integration.

Furthermore, the government plans to roll out sophisticated additional modules designed to handle electronic complaints, appeals, and comprehensive contract management.

Development partners have expressed commitment to supporting this next phase through technical integration assistance and nationwide change management programs.