- According to Ribadu, the new phase of the SPESSE project is designed to strengthen previous gains
- Ribadu noted that six centres of excellence were established across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones with support from the World Bank
- The NUC boss added that investments in digital learning platforms, high-performance computing systems
The National Universities Commission on Wednesday signed fresh performance agreements worth $65 million with vice-chancellors of participating universities under the World Bank-supported Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement project.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the agreement signing ceremony, held in Abuja, was attended by officials from the NUC, the Bureau of Public Procurement, the World Bank, university representatives and other stakeholders.
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Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of the NUC, Abdullahi Ribadu, described the additional financing phase as a major step toward improving procurement systems as well as environmental and social governance standards across the country.
According to Ribadu, the new phase of the SPESSE project is designed to strengthen previous gains, broaden its impact and ensure sustainability within participating institutions.
He explained that the initiative was originally introduced to address the shortage of professionals trained in procurement, environmental management and social safeguards, as well as the lack of specialised academic programmes in Nigerian universities.
Ribadu noted that six centres of excellence were established across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones with support from the World Bank and under the supervision of the NUC.
The centres, including those at Ahmadu Bello University and Lagos State University, are expected to produce skilled professionals capable of promoting transparency, environmental responsibility and inclusive development.
He said the project, which became operational in 2021, has already recorded major progress through the introduction of short courses, postgraduate diplomas, master’s degrees and undergraduate programmes focused on procurement and social standards.
The NUC boss added that investments in digital learning platforms, high-performance computing systems, live-streaming facilities and other teaching infrastructure had improved learning and research across participating institutions.
According to him, some of the centres have begun attracting foreign students, while more than 68 international partnerships have already been established under the initiative.
Ribadu further disclosed that certification procedures for procurement, environmental and social standards were introduced in 2025 by relevant government agencies to regulate and validate practitioners in the field.
He revealed that three of the six centres had already commenced PhD programmes, while the remaining institutions are expected to begin doctoral studies from the next academic session starting in July 2026.
Under the new financing arrangement, the project aims to produce at least 60 PhD graduates, enroll no fewer than 60 international students, support 18 staff internship opportunities and facilitate at least 60 exchange programmes with foreign institutions.
Ribadu also revealed that The Gambia had shown interest in sending students to the centres.
He explained that the fresh funding phase would focus more specifically on sustainability, procurement reforms and environmental standards, unlike the earlier phase which concentrated mainly on laying the foundation for the programme.
The NUC chief also stated that electronic procurement would become a key aspect of the initiative as the government moves toward digitising procurement processes nationwide.
The Task Team Leader of the SPESSE project at the World Bank, Ishtiak Siddique, described the programme as one of the bank’s most important collaborations with Nigeria.
Siddique noted that although the World Bank currently maintains a $17 billion portfolio in Nigeria, the SPESSE initiative stands out because of its impact across multiple sectors.
He stressed that procurement, environmental and social standards remain essential for effective governance and efficient public service delivery.
According to him, the newly approved $65 million funding package builds on the success of the original $80 million SPESSE intervention launched in 2021.
Siddique disclosed that over 40,000 individuals had already received training through the programme, adding that the additional financing aims to train another 24,000 people, particularly from strategic public institutions.
He also announced plans to introduce a fully digital end-to-end procurement system at the federal level, which would later be extended to states.
The proposed system, he said, would leverage technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve transparency and efficiency in public procurement.
The Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, Adebowale Adedokun, said the agency remained committed to producing procurement officers with both academic and professional competence.
Adedokun revealed that more than 2,700 officers from federal, state and local government institutions, as well as the private sector, had already been trained and certified under the programme.
He added that the new funding phase would support the rollout of the government’s electronic procurement platform and also provide online training opportunities for small and medium-scale enterprises and public finance managers.
The Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University, Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, said the intervention had significantly improved institutional systems, training and learning infrastructure at the university.
She noted that the project had helped build intentional structures for procurement, environmental and social standards training, which previously did not exist in the institution.
Similarly, the Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Adamu Ahmed, said the university had made substantial progress in student enrollment and virtual programme delivery under the initiative.
Ahmed added that the programme had also attracted international students, while virtual learning systems established through the intervention had improved academic delivery.
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