Digital Procurement Africa Summit 2026: Experts Say Digitisation Is No Longer Optional for African Businesses
African businesses must urgently embrace digital procurement systems or continue suffering avoidable financial losses caused by outdated manual processes. That was the dominant message delivered by industry leaders and procurement executives during the maiden edition of the Digital Procurement Africa Summit 2026 held in Lagos, Nigeria.
The summit, which took place on May 26, 2026, brought together procurement professionals, supply chain executives, technology providers, and C-suite leaders from some of Africa’s largest organisations to discuss the future of procurement across the continent.
Sponsored by procurement technology company Gloopro, the event featured executives from major companies including Flour Mills of Nigeria, Oando Energy, Berger Paints Nigeria, Coca-Cola, and First E&P, all of whom agreed that digitisation is becoming essential for business sustainability and competitiveness.
Digital Procurement Emerges as a Critical Business Strategy
For decades, procurement management in many African organisations has remained heavily dependent on manual processes. Procurement officers traditionally maintain records, manage suppliers, negotiate contracts, and oversee supply chains using fragmented systems that often create inefficiencies and financial leakages.
According to speakers at the summit, these traditional methods are no longer sustainable in today’s rapidly evolving business environment.
During the opening panel session moderated by Isa Alyiushata, President of the Association of Digital Financial Practitioners of Nigeria, procurement leaders emphasized that unchecked leakages within procurement systems can significantly affect an organisation’s profitability and growth.
Experts Recommend Immediate Procurement Audits
Ivy Aisueni, Contracts and Procurement Lead at First E&P, alongside Afolabi Ademuyiwa, Head of Inbound Logistics and Procurement at CAP PLC, advised companies to begin by conducting comprehensive audits of their existing procurement processes.
The goal, they explained, is to identify inefficiencies, uncover hidden financial leakages, and establish a roadmap for transitioning to digital procurement platforms.
| Traditional Procurement Challenges | Impact on Businesses |
|---|---|
| Manual record keeping | Increased errors and inefficiency |
| Poor supplier tracking | Financial leakages |
| Unstructured purchasing | Limited transparency |
| Lack of real-time data | Delayed decision-making |
| Inefficient tail spend management | Increased operational costs |
Companies That Ignore Technology Risk Becoming Obsolete
One of the strongest warnings during the summit came from Cephas Afebuameh, Group Director of Supply Chain at Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC.
According to Afebuameh, organisations that fail to embrace procurement technology may struggle to survive in increasingly competitive markets.
“Businesses need resilience, speed, agility, and technology. Without adopting digital solutions, organisations risk becoming irrelevant,” he stated during the panel discussion.
He further explained that modern procurement operations require speed and data-driven decision-making capabilities that manual systems simply cannot deliver efficiently.
Artificial Intelligence Is Becoming Essential in Procurement
The conversation also focused heavily on the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in procurement management.
Modupe Oyeneyin, Division Manager of Supply Chain and Procurement at Oando Energy Resources, argued that AI skills are no longer optional for procurement professionals.
However, she encouraged professionals to view AI as a productivity tool rather than a threat to employment.
According to Oyeneyin, AI-powered procurement platforms can automate data collection, improve analysis, reduce operational delays, and preserve institutional knowledge that would otherwise require days or weeks to compile manually.
| Benefits of AI in Procurement | Business Impact |
|---|---|
| Automated data collection | Faster operations |
| Intelligent supplier analysis | Better decision-making |
| Risk assessment | Improved governance |
| Historical data retention | Enhanced transparency |
| Predictive analytics | Reduced procurement costs |
Human Expertise Still Matters Despite AI Growth
While many speakers advocated for increased automation, industry executives also stressed that human oversight remains critical.
Kayode Momoh, General Manager of Operations at Berger Paints Nigeria PLC, explained that procurement professionals must continue to evaluate and validate information generated by digital systems.
According to Momoh, technology can accelerate procurement processes, but human judgment remains essential for determining whether the information generated aligns with business objectives.
He argued that AI should be viewed as a support tool rather than a replacement for experienced procurement professionals.
Gloopro Positions Itself as Africa’s Tail Spend Management Solution
After extensive discussions about procurement challenges, Gloopro founder and Chief Executive Officer Olumide Olusanya introduced the company’s digital procurement platform as a solution designed specifically for multinational corporations and international oil companies operating in Africa.
Olusanya focused heavily on one of procurement’s most persistent problems: tail spend management.
Tail spend refers to low-value, infrequent purchases that collectively account for approximately 80% of procurement transactions while representing only about 20% of total spending.
Despite their relatively small individual values, these transactions often create significant administrative challenges due to their volume and unpredictability.
Why Tail Spend Is More Challenging in Africa
According to Olusanya, Africa presents unique procurement challenges because a significant portion of tail spend transactions occurs within informal markets, making visibility and tracking considerably more difficult.
He explained that Gloopro addresses this challenge by managing the entire procurement lifecycle digitally, allowing organisations to maintain transparency, governance, and complete procurement records.
| Tail Spend Characteristics | Challenges |
|---|---|
| Small purchase values | Often overlooked |
| High transaction volume | Difficult to manage manually |
| Unplanned purchases | Poor budgeting visibility |
| Informal market transactions | Reduced transparency |
| Fragmented suppliers | Complex governance requirements |
Coca-Cola Executive Highlights the Need for Procurement Transparency
Aderenle Thompson, Indirect Procurement Manager within Coca-Cola’s Supply Chain division, supported the adoption of digital procurement systems.
According to Thompson, organisations frequently approve tail spend purchases without conducting sufficient due diligence because the individual transaction values appear insignificant.
He explained that implementing digital procurement systems helps improve transparency, governance, compliance, and accountability throughout the procurement process.
Digital Transformation Is Reshaping Procurement Across Africa
As discussions concluded at the Digital Procurement Africa Summit 2026, participants reached a clear consensus: the future of procurement in Africa is digital.
Traditional procurement methods that rely on spreadsheets, phone calls, and fragmented documentation are increasingly unable to meet the demands of modern business operations.
Industry leaders agreed that organisations that invest in digital procurement platforms, artificial intelligence, and automated supply chain management systems will gain significant competitive advantages, while businesses that continue relying on legacy systems risk falling behind.
