Nigeria’s quest to close critical manpower gaps in procurement, environmental and social standards has received a major boost as the World Bank has given a strong nod to the Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement (SPESSE) project, rating its performance satisfactory and approving additional financing to sustain its momentum.

Backed by the Federal Government of Nigeria, the World Bank and the National Universities Commission (NUC), SPESSE was designed to tackle a long-standing problem in both the public and private sectors: the shortage of skilled professionals and the absence of structured academic pathways in procurement, environmental safeguards and social standards.

Through coordinated training programmes anchored by six Centres of Excellence spread across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones, the project has steadily bridged that gap, producing a new generation of professionals equipped to meet global best practices.

The World Bank recently reinforced its confidence in the initiative during an Implementation Support Mission (ISM) held to assess progress, review ongoing activities under the original financing, and agree on next steps under the Additional Financing (AF). The mission was led by the World Bank Task Team Leader, Ishtiak Siddique, alongside the National Project Coordinator, Dr Joshua Atah of the NUC.

According to the mission’s Aide Memoire, SPESSE has recorded “significant progress” since the last review. All four Project Development Objective (PDO) indicators have been fully achieved, while the overall Project Implementation Progress (IP) has been rated satisfactory following verification for the January 1 to June 30, 2025 period.

Independent verification also confirmed that 12 out of 18 Performance-Based Conditions (PBCs) have already been met or exceeded.

Five additional PBCs are scheduled for completion by June 30, 2026, with remaining targets aligned with the project’s closing timeline.

During the mission, the World Bank team engaged with key national and state-level stakeholders, including the SPESSE National Facilitation Implementation Unit (NFIU) at the NUC, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, the Federal Ministry of Environment, and the Federal Ministry of Finance.

The team also reviewed activities at the six Centres of Excellence hosted by Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi; Federal University of Technology, Owerri; University of Benin; and the University of Lagos.

Presentations from the centres highlighted milestones achieved, progress toward PDO targets, international accreditations, disbursement-linked indicators and student exchange programmes. Tracer studies further underscored the far-reaching impact of SPESSE since its inception.

One of the project’s most notable achievements is the launch of professional certification examinations in procurement, environmental safeguards and social safeguards. Conducted through online portals between April and June 2025, the examinations have already produced 3,429 successful candidates. Of this number, 2,121 passed procurement certification, 855 qualified in social safeguards, and 453 in environmental safeguards.

These certifications represent only a fraction of the project’s reach. More than 85,000 participants have benefited from SPESSE training programmes across the six Centres of Excellence, cutting across Tracks A to E. Even the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the early stages of implementation failed to slow the project’s steady progress.

The strong performance has earned SPESSE a reputation as one of Nigeria’s standout development projects. An overall satisfactory rating at this stage of implementation is rare among donor-funded programmes, a fact confirmed by the Director of the International Economic Relations Department at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Mr Stanley Nyeso George.

He, alongside other stakeholders, commended the NUC under both its current and former leadership, as well as Dr Atah, for driving the project’s success. Centre Leaders and their teams were also praised for their dedication and results.

In recognition of these gains, the World Bank approved Additional Financing to extend the project’s lifespan until June 2026. The decision, the Bank said, reflects SPESSE’s improved outcomes and alignment with its development objectives.

With renewed funding, the project is expected to deepen procurement reforms, expand online training platforms and strengthen institutional capacity, ensuring long-term benefits for Nigeria’s public sector, private businesses and local communities.

Stakeholders insist the focus remains on translating training and certification gains into tangible improvements in transparency, efficiency and inclusiveness within Nigeria’s procurement system.

In a move to institutionalise these standards, the Bureau of Public Procurement has initiated steps to make SPESSE courses mandatory for the professional certification of all procurement officers.

Director-General of the BPP, Dr Adebowale Adedokun, disclosed this at a high-level review meeting with the World Bank during the 2025 SPESSE ISM in Abuja.

Dr Adedokun said the proposal, which has received preliminary approval from the Head of Service, will be incorporated into the revised circular governing the procurement cadre. He reaffirmed the Bureau’s commitment to implementing all project objectives, including the transition to e-procurement.

The Bureau and the World Bank jointly reiterated their resolve to ensure the continued success of SPESSE, a project many now see as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s drive toward sustainable procurement and responsible governance.