The National Universities Commission (NUC), in partnership with the World Bank and six participating universities, has signed a Performance Contract to mark the commencement of the additional financing phase of the Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement (SPESSE) Project.
The ceremony, held on Wednesday, 13th May 2026, at the NUC Auditorium in Abuja, brought together Vice-Chancellors, Centre Leaders, and representatives of the Federal Ministries of Finance, Environment, and Women Affairs, as well as the Bureau of Public Procurement and other key stakeholders.
In his welcome address, the Executive Secretary of the NUC, Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, FCVSN, described the event as a milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen national capacity in procurement, environmental, and social standards. He noted that the $65 million additional financing became effective three weeks earlier, building on the $80 million original project initiated in 2021.
Professor Ribadu explained that the SPESSE initiative was designed to address critical gaps in the Nigerian university system, including shortages of professionals in procurement, environmental, and social standards, as well as the limited number of specialised academic programmes. He added that six Centres of Excellence were established across the six geopolitical zones through a competitive process based on institutional readiness and sustainability indicators.
He further highlighted the achievements of the first phase, which included the development of curricula ranging from short courses to PhD programmes, investment in high-performance computing and digital learning platforms, and the establishment of over 68 international partnerships for teaching, research, and professional development. He also noted that certification protocols for procurement, environment, and social standards had been activated by the Bureau of Public Procurement, the Federal Ministry of Environment, and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.
Looking ahead, Professor Ribadu stated that the additional financing phase would focus on strengthening institutional ownership, expanding online and distance learning, increasing regional and international enrolment, and deepening collaboration with industry and global partners. He disclosed that the NUC had set targets including the production of at least 60 PhD graduates, enrolment of 60 foreign students, facilitation of 18 staff internships, and 60 scholar exchange programmes, among others.
He added that three centres had already commenced PhD programmes, while the remaining three were scheduled to begin in the 2026 academic session.
Speaking on behalf of the World Bank, the Task Team Leader described SPESSE as critical, noting that procurement, environmental, and social standards are central to effective governance and public service delivery. He disclosed that the project had already trained over 40,000 individuals and certified 4,000 public officials, with plans to train an additional 24,000 under the new phase.
He further announced that the financing would support the implementation of an end-to-end e-procurement system at the federal level, powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning, as well as strengthen systems and policies for environmental and social compliance.
Representatives of the Federal Ministries of Finance, Environment, and Women Affairs commended the progress achieved and reaffirmed their ministries’ continued support for the project. The representative of the Ministry of Finance noted that the financing reflected confidence in Nigeria’s reform agenda and would enhance transparency, accountability, and institutional efficiency.
The representative of the Ministry of Environment stated that the project aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda on institutional reform and environmental sustainability, while the representative of the Ministry of Women Affairs disclosed that nearly 2,000 candidates had been certified in social standards within four months, with 1,000 more awaiting certification.
All speakers emphasized that the goal of the additional financing is to ensure that the Centres of Excellence become self-sustaining through revenue generation, government support, and integration into university structures. The World Bank reiterated that this would be achieved through expanded online and distance learning, resource mobilisation, and deeper collaboration with industry and international partners.
In her vote of thanks on behalf of participating universities, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Folasade Ogunsola, expressed appreciation to the World Bank, NUC, relevant ministries, Centre Leaders, and the press for their contributions to the success of the project. She commended the dedication of the Centre Leaders and their teams and assured partners that the universities would deliver greater value on the investment, noting that Africa remains the next frontier and that collaboration would yield stronger national outcomes.
The highlight of the ceremony was the formal signing of Performance Contracts by Vice-Chancellors and Centre Leaders of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi; University of Lagos; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Federal University of Technology, Owerri; University of Benin; and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi.NUC Directors in attendance included Ms. Rita Okonjo (DPA); Dr. Morebise Funmilayo (DODel); Dr. Esther Mnmeka (DSDE); Dr. Chinelo Nwosu (DOS); Dr. Joshua Atah (DSP); Mrs. Justina Emorole (DIM); Engr. Abraham Chundusu (DA); Mal. Lawal M. Faruk (DRIIT); Mrs. Alissabatu Balogun (DHR); and Barr. Pascal Eruaga (DD Legal), among others.