Nigeria’s oil and gas industry runs on far more than hydrocarbons. Beneath exploration rigs, gas pipelines, and refinery towers lies a vast and often underestimated engine: procurement, logistics and supply chain management. From the sourcing of specialised drilling equipment to the movement of gas molecules and refined products across the country, efficiency in supply chains increasingly determines project costs, delivery timelines and investor confidence across the upstream, midstream and downstream segments.
At a time when Nigeria is pushing for deeper local content, gas-led growth and a more competitive downstream market, attention is shifting to the systems that connect policy ambition with on-the-ground execution. This is where the Centre for Procurement, Logistics and Supply Chain Management (CPLSCM) at Kaduna State University is carving out a critical role, bridging academia, industry and public sector reform through research, training and industry engagement.
In this interview, Safiyya Abubakar Yahya, Director of CPLSCM and Coordinator of the Postgraduate Logistics and Supply Chain Management programme, speaks on how professionalised procurement and smarter supply chain governance can reshape Nigeria’s oil and gas value chain.
Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your background?
I’m Safiyya Abubakar Yahya, Ag. Director of the Centre for Procurement, Logistics and Supply Chain Management at Kaduna State University. With a PhD in view on Smart transportation in Nigeria, an MSc at Heriot-Watt University Dubai, and a BSc at the European University College of Brussels EHSAL.
I was the Head of Marketing and Linkages before assuming my current role as the Ag. Director of the Centre for Procurement Logistics and Supply Chain Management, KASU. As a collaboration lead at the department of PSCM, I have been promoting and linking the department with various Logistics and Supply Chain Industries.
With over 10 years of academic experience and teaching modules at both postgraduate and undergraduate levels. I have trained and mentored students/professionals in the field of green sustainable supply chain management and am an active resource person at the Sustainable Procurement Environmental and Social Standards Centre of Excellence (SPESSCE) ABU Zaria.
I’m a member of numerous NGOs and alumni associations. I enjoy planting, drawing/painting and being amongst family and friends.
What gaps are there in Nigeria’s procurement and supply chain ecosystem that inspired the creation and direction of the Centre?
We have known that gaps exist in Nigeria’s supply chain for decades, but the pandemic has made that more visible with an echo across the world, looking for logisticians and supply chain experts to provide solutions on how best to move goods across different parts of the world.
Some of these identified gaps in Nigeria’s industries include unnecessary delays/inefficiencies and skills deficits in procurement and supply chains, which cause serious disruptions in achieving the ultimate goal of any organisation. For example, in the oil and gas industry, upstream projects often face 6-12 month delays due to logistics bottlenecks. CPLSCM was created to address these gaps; it focuses on research and tailored training in procurement and supply chain courses for industries and organisations to facilitate industry engagement that will improve transparency, efficiency, and local content development.
How is CPLSCM ensuring its research, training, and summit engagements remain practical and relevant?
We engage industry experts, involve stakeholders in curriculum design, and tailor our research to address industry-specific challenges. For example, our department/centre was part of the NUC team that developed the new CCMAS for the newly introduced courses on supply chain management (BSc Logistics Management and BSc Transport Management). Equally, our recently concluded international industry summit in Kaduna highlights how committed we are to tackling practical gaps in the field of supply chain, not only in Nigeria, but around the globe. The summit brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and academia to share insights and shape solutions in the supply chain. In attendance were 18 Procurement DGs of the federation, including the DG BPP. Nigeria’s procurement policies and supply chain policies were discussed throughout the summit. We are now in dialogue with policymakers to identify possible areas of research and improvement. I am assured we are all about practical impact.
What distinguishes KASU’s Postgraduate Logistics and Supply Chain Management programme?
Our programmes are industry-focused, blending theory with real-world case studies and expert insights. We encourage students to identify problems and find practical solutions that can be implemented. We are a student-centred institution with a supply chain focus group (supply chain clubs), facilitating liaison between students/alumni to be in any group of choice and work together to solve real-world challenges in the supply chain. We had some teams that worked on 3 projects and developed applications that can be used to easily solve some practical issues being faced in the supply chain. These researches were presented at the summit. We emphasise practical skills, internships, and research relevant to Nigeria’s ecosystems; that way, graduates are job-ready, equipped to drive efficiency in procurement and supply chain.
Let’s look at critical skills gaps in procurement and logistics. How is CPLSCM addressing them?
Key gaps include data analytics, risk management, and contract management. We’re addressing these through targeted training: e.g., a workshop on “Data-Driven Procurement Analytics” for industry professionals and a certification programme in Supply Chain Risk Management. Upskilling professionals and building a pipeline of talent for the supply chain sector.
What informed the CPLSCM Summit, and what outcomes do you hope for?
The summit has provided a platform for dialogue, capacity building, research collaboration, international and local MoU signings, and certification pathways. The summit has generated the participation of more than 6 professional bodies that offered massive discounts on memberships for participants, and we are now in collaboration with more than nine (9) institutions, organisations. We are looking forward to signing the MoU at the beginning of 2026, in preparation for the next summit. These collaborations will elevate Nigeria’s procurement and supply chain practices, making Kaduna State University CPLSCM a hub for supply chain reforms in West Africa.
What is the role of academic centres like CPLSCM in shaping procurement reforms?
Research centres like ours play a vital role in providing the base for supply chain education. CPLSCM provides flexible, comprehensive, and relevant executive courses/programmes; we promote and support comprehensive short-term academic programmes that stimulate participants to seek knowledge, think analytically, and communicate their thoughts effectively; we provide multidimensional opportunities for personal and social development; and we offer programmes which prepare students for leadership and decision-making roles in a technologically and globally orientated society, which enable students to develop an awareness and appreciation for local, state, national, and international perspectives. We contribute to research, capacity building (training civil servants on public procurement best practices), and policy dialogue. By bridging academia and industry, we support evidence-based reforms, promote best practices, and enhance governance in all aspects of the supply chain. Our roles are enormous and can never be overemphasised.
What about inclusivity and encouraging women in procurement and supply chain management?
I get this question all the time; it’s not really surprising to find few women in this field, as it is predominantly male-inclined, and of course, it is so in most industries. As the only academic female in my department and at the centre, I would say we have seen an increase in the number of females registering interest in our courses. In our department, our BSc Logistics has more female students than males, which is a huge shift from the usual norm. We are promoting women in the field through scholarships, mentorship programmes with industry partners, SIWES placements and outreach initiatives like Women in Procurement/Women in Logistics workshops. For example, we tried to secure sponsorship for women through UN Women to increase the number of women participating in the summit. I believe being diverse will drive more innovation and better outcomes in the field of PLSCM.
Let’s talk about CPLSCM’s vision in five years. What legacy do you hope to leave?
In five years, CPLSCM will be a leading hub for procurement and supply chain excellence in Africa. Our vision is to be a leading centre of excellence in research and development for PLSCM, driving innovation, policy impact and industry transformation, and to enhance our reputation as a world-class teaching and research centre, which will be recognised for its innovation, excellence and discovery and attract the best professionals/industry experts worldwide. I hope to leave a legacy of impactful research, e.g., influencing national supply chain policies and skilled professionals like alumni leading logistics roles at reputable Nigerian supply chain companies/industries.