The Inconvenient Truth with Ing. Prof. Douglas Boateng: Sole, single, restricted and competitive sourcing (Part 1)

…Why the problem is not the method but our understanding and application of it

By Ing. Prof. Douglas Boateng

For over a decade, procurement debates across Africa have revolved around the same questions, yet the real issue remains unchanged: a weak understanding, inconsistent application, and the absence of sustained professionalisation.

A debate that refuses to evolve

There are debates that resurface so frequently that one begins to wonder whether progress is truly being made. Procurement is one of them. Across Africa, and particularly in Ghana, the conversation returns in cycles. Each time a major project is announced, each time a contract is awarded, each time scrutiny intensifies, the same questions emerge:

1. Why sole source?
2. Why not competitive tender?
3. Who approved this?
4. What went wrong?

The outrage is often immediate. The conclusions are often premature. And yet, beneath the noise lies a quieter, more uncomfortable reality. The inconvenient truth is this: the problem is not the procurement method. The problem is our collective misunderstanding of how these methods should be applied. For over fifteen years, I have consistently advocated across the continent for two critical reforms: a. Continuous education of policymakers and implementers. b. A parliamentary-backed framework to professionalise procurement as a discipline.

In 2020, when this same debate resurfaced under a different administration, I authored an article titled: “To single source or to sole source: the big questions for decision makers.” Years later, the same confusion persists. History, it seems, is not just repeating itself. It is reminding us that we have not learned sufficiently from it.

NyansaKasa (Words of Wisdom): “A lesson not understood will return disguised as a new problem.”

Reflection: Recurring governance challenges often signal gaps in understanding, not the absence of regulation.

The four methods we keep confusing

At the heart of the confusion lies a failure to distinguish clearly between four procurement approaches:

1. Sole Sourcing-Where only one supplier exists. This applies in situations involving proprietary technology, intellectual property or unique expertise. Example: During the COVID-19 pandemic, governments entered direct procurement agreements with Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca due to patent restrictions and limited global supply. There was no alternative.
2. Single Sourcing-Where multiple suppliers exist, but one is strategically selected. Example: Governments standardising enterprise systems around Microsoft or Oracle Corporation to ensure compatibility, efficiency and long-term integration. This is a choice, not a constraint.
3. Restricted Tendering-Where a limited number of pre-qualified suppliers are invited to bid. Used where: a-Expertise is specialised. b-Time is constrained. c-Market participants are limited
4. Competitive Tendering-Open bidding where multiple suppliers compete. Often considered the default method.
5. Each method has its place.
6. Each method has its risks.
7. None is inherently superior in all circumstances.

NyansaKasa (Words of Wisdom): Different tools serve different purposes; wisdom lies in knowing when to use each.

Reflection: Effective governance depends on contextual decision-making, not rigid adherence to one method.

Ghana – lessons from repeated cycles

Power and infrastructure procurement

Ghana’s energy sector provides a telling example. During periods of power shortages, emergency power agreements were sometimes sole-sourced due to urgency. Criticism followed. Yet the deeper issue was not the method alone. It was: a) Pricing transparency; b) Contract structuring. c) Long-term sustainability.  At the same time, competitively tendered projects in the same sector have experienced: a. Delays in execution. b. Cost overruns. c. Renegotiations.  Both methods faced challenges. The common denominator? Implementation weaknesses.

Public procurement debates

Across successive administrations, procurement controversies have followed a similar pattern: a. Public concern. b. Political debate c. Temporary scrutiny. d. Eventual silence. And then, years later, the cycle repeats. This is not a procurement failure. It is a systemic learning failure.

NyansaKasa (Words of Wisdom): When the same mistake returns, it is not stubbornness; it is ignorance uncorrected.

Reflection: Sustainable reform requires institutional memory and continuous education.

Nigeria – when structure matters more than method

Nigeria’s long-standing fuel import and subsidy arrangements illustrate a deeper lesson. Procurement methods varied; some contracts were sole-sourced, others competitively structured. Yet inefficiencies persisted. Why? Because the core issue was structural: a) Limited refining capacity; b) Policy inconsistency. c)Weak oversight. Even perfect procurement methods cannot compensate for weak systems.

Kenya – strategic single sourcing that worked

Kenya’s mobile money revolution, led by Safaricom, provides a contrasting narrative. Instead of fragmenting the ecosystem through multiple competing platforms, Kenya allowed a dominant system, M-Pesa, to scale. This was effectively strategic single sourcing. The result: a) Over 80% financial inclusion. b)Global recognition. c)A thriving digital economy. Here, concentration created value. Not inefficiency.

Rwanda – discipline over method

Rwanda has strengthened procurement outcomes through: a) Centralised oversight. b) Digital procurement platforms. c) Continuous capacity building.  All procurement methods are used. But within disciplined systems. The focus is not the method. It is governance.

NyansaKasa (Words of Wisdom): The same tool builds a palace or a ruin, depending on the hands that use it.

Reflection: Outcomes reflect governance discipline, not procurement choice.

When competitive tendering fails — global reality

Competitive tendering is often idealised. Yet globally, it has not been immune to failure. The European Commission uncovered bid-rigging involving firms like Siemens and Alstom. In South Africa, companies such as Murray & Roberts and WBHO were implicated in cartel behaviour. In the United States, defence contracts involving Lockheed Martin and Boeing have experienced significant cost overruns.

1. Competition existed.
2. Collusion still occurred.

NyansaKasa (Words of Wisdom): A crowd does not guarantee honesty if the crowd agrees in silence.

Reflection: Transparency must be enforced continuously, not assumed.

Humour, reality and the procurement illusion

There is a popular joke: “The lowest bidder wins the contract, but the variations win the profit.” There is laughter. But it reflects reality. Projects awarded competitively often become more expensive through: a. Scope changes. b. Delays. c. Renegotiations.  The illusion of savings disappears quietly.

NyansaKasa (Words of Wisdom): The cheapest bid can be the most expensive journey.

Reflection: Value must be assessed over the full lifecycle, not at the point of award.

The real problem – education and professionalisation

Across Africa, procurement laws exist. But education is inconsistent. Those tasked with implementation are not always adequately trained. Interpretations vary. Decisions become uncertain. And uncertainty breeds suspicion. For over fifteen years, I have advocated for: a. Continuous training of policymakers. b. Professional certification frameworks. c. A parliamentary act to formalise procurement as a profession.  Without professionalisation, procurement remains administrative. With professionalisation, it becomes strategic.

NyansaKasa (Words of Wisdom): A law without understanding becomes a ritual without meaning.

Reflection: Governance frameworks must be accompanied by capacity building.

The deeper inconvenient truth

Often, what is perceived as corruption is not always deliberate wrongdoing. It is sometimes: a. Misinterpretation. b. Uncertainty c. Lack of clarity, The absence of knowledge can produce outcomes that resemble misconduct. This does not excuse failure. But it reframes the solution.

NyansaKasa (Words of Wisdom): Confusion in the mind can create corruption in the outcome.

Reflection: Clarity in understanding reduces risk in execution.

Conclusion – from noise to knowledge

1. Sole sourcing is not corruption.
2. Single sourcing is not manipulation.
3. Restricted tendering is not exclusion.
4. Competitive tendering is not perfection.

They are tools. The real challenge is: a) Do we understand them?. b) Do we apply them correctly?. c) Do we educate those who implement them? d) Do we enforce accountability consistently?. Africa must move beyond emotional debate. It must embrace informed governance. Because procurement is not about methods.

• It is about discipline.
• It is about knowledge.
• It is about accountability.

And perhaps the most inconvenient truth of all: A nation that does not understand its tools will never build with confidence, no matter how many tools it acquires.

>>>This article is an excerpt from Practical Perspectives on How to Single Source or Sole Source (Professor Boateng, 2026), now available on Amazon.com and through PanAvest Publishing (www.panavest.com) in both hard copy and digital formats. This easy-to-digest book is a thought-provoking guide for those seeking clarity in sourcing, governance, and real-world decision-making. Look out for Part 2 of the article on Wednesday, April 15^th.

>>>Ing. Professor Douglas Boateng is a pioneering international industrial, manufacturing, and production systems engineer, governance strategist, and Pan-African thought leader whose work continues to shape boardroom thinking, supply chain transformation, and industrialisation across both the continent and globally. As Africa’s first appointed Professor Extraordinaire in Supply Chain Management, he has consistently championed the integration of procurement, value chain, industrialisation strategy, and governance into national and continental development agendas, aligning practice with purpose and long-term impact. An International Chartered Director and Chartered Engineer, he has received numerous lifetime achievement awards and authored several authoritative books. He is also the scribe of the globally acclaimed and widely followed daily NyansaKasa (Words of Wisdom), which continues to inspire reflection, accountability, and purposeful living among audiences worldwide. His work is driven by a simple yet powerful belief: Africa’s transformation will not come from rhetoric but from deliberate action, strong institutions, and leaders willing to build for future generations.

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