|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
..As FG mulls ban on “unjustified imports”
…BPP gets full backing to enforce compliance
The Federal Executive Council, on Monday, approved landmark policies aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s domestic economy and promoting local content, to be backed by an Executive Order, signed by the President.
This was the highpoint of the decision arrived at by the Council presided over by President Bola Tinubu.
The new policy framework tagged the ‘Renewed Hope Nigeria First Policy’ was unveiled by Mohammed Idris, the minister of information and national orientation, while briefing State House journalists, after the meeting.
The Policy which mirrors U.S. President Donald Trump’s “America First” doctrine, also gives the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), sweeping powers to sack ensure full compliance with the federal government procurement policies and also give necessary sanctions for non- compliance.
Read also: Has Tinubu’s economic reform started working?
Idris noted that the Federal Government will prioritise Nigeria’s interest at the center of all public procurement and business activity, with a strong emphasis on empowering local industries and reducing dependency on foreign imports.
According to him, ” This policy seeks to foster a new business culture that is bold, confident, and very Nigerian,” Idris said.
“So President bola tinubu has proposed that we will no longer just sit there and allow importation to come into this country where there is the capacity for production the production of any of these commodities locally. Now, as I said, the President has proposed the following directives, and all of them have been approved by the Federal Executive Council”.
“It aims at making government investment directly benefit our people and industries by changing how we spend, how we procure, and how we build our economy.”
Idris announced that FEC approved a directive to the office of the Attorney General of the Federation to draft an Executive Order to give full legal effect to the new framework.
“Now this seeks to foster a new business culture that will be bold, confident, but also very, very Nigerian, and it aims at making government to invest in our people and our industries by changing how government spends money, how we procure and how we also we build our economy .Going forward, Nigerian industry will take precedence in all procurement processes.
“Where local Supply falls short. Contracts will be structured to build capacity domestically, contractors will no longer serve as intermediaries sourcing foreign goods where local factories die. I take the example of the sugar industry”.
According to Idris, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) was also directed to revise and enforce procurement rules that prioritise Nigerian-made goods and homegrown solutions across all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
“The BPP will create a comprehensive compliance mechanism to ensure all government procurements adhere to local content requirements.
The Council also approved a regularly updated database of high-quality Nigerian suppliers to be maintained by the BPP and used as a reference for all procurement decisions, even as “Procurement officers currently deployed to various MDAs will be reverted to the BPP to ensure compliance and reduce undue influence or corruption.
“No MDA will be allowed to procure foreign goods or services already available locally without a written waiver from the BPP.
Where foreign contracts are unavoidable, they must include provisions for technology transfer, local production, or capacity development in Nigeria.
Read also: Tinubu inaugurates mechanization centre in Katsina to boost agribusiness
He disclosed that the MDAs are to immediately review and resubmit their procurement plans to align with the new policy directives. Breaches will result in disciplinary action and possible cancellation of the procurement process.
The minister cited Nigeria’s sugar industry as an example of local capacity being neglected.
“We continue to import sugar despite the existence of the Nigerian Sugar Council and several local producers. This policy will change that,” he said.
He added that moving forward, “Contractors will no longer be mere intermediaries sourcing foreign goods while Nigerian factories lie idle. Government money must now work for the Nigerian people.”
The Nigeria First policy comes amid economic reforms being pushed by the Tinubu administration, including subsidy removals, a new foreign exchange regime, and efforts to restore investor confidence.
By making local content central to government spending, the administration hopes to drive job creation, industrial growth, and sustainable economic development.
While the policy will likely face implementation challenges and resistance from entrenched procurement interests, officials say the administration is determined to enforce compliance at all levels.
“This is a major shift in government policy. It puts Nigeria – not foreign companies, not imports – at the heart of our national development,” the minister said.
The Renewed Hope Nigeria First Policy is expected to take effect as soon as the Executive Order is signed by President Tinubu.
