By our Reporter
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Monday approved a sweeping new policy directive aimed at prioritising Nigerian businesses, goods, and services in all government-related economic activities.
The move followed a proposal by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to institutionalise what he has termed the Renewed Hope Nigeria First policy.
Briefing journalists at the State House in Abuja after the FEC meeting presided over by the President, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the policy as “a major shift in government policy” and a bold step toward putting Nigeria “at the heart of all business activities” in the country.
“This new direction places Nigeria, not foreign companies or imports, at the centre of our national development strategy. It seeks to foster a new business culture that is bold, confident, and unapologetically Nigerian”, Idris said.
According to the minister, the Nigeria First policy will be implemented through an executive order currently being prepared by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
The policy is designed to overhaul how the federal government spends public funds, especially in the areas of procurement and contract awards.
Under the new policy, all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) must prioritise locally made goods and services in their procurement processes.
Any attempt to source foreign alternatives for products or services already available in Nigeria will now require written justification and a formal waiver from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).
Idris outlined several decisions approved by the Council to give immediate effect to the policy:
- Revision of Procurement Guidelines: The BPP has been directed to urgently revise and enforce procurement rules to prioritise local content, including the creation of a local content compliance framework.
- Register of Nigerian Providers: The BPP will maintain a register of high-quality Nigerian manufacturers and service providers who are regularly engaged by the federal government.
- Centralisation of Procurement Officers: All procurement officers posted to MDAs will be recalled and redeployed under the direct control of the BPP to ensure strict adherence to the new policy, without compromising efficiency.
- 4. Mandatory Audits: MDAs must immediately audit all current procurement plans and submit revised versions in line with the new directives.
- Sanctions for Non-Compliance: Breaches of the new policy will attract serious sanctions, including cancellation of procurement processes and disciplinary action against responsible officers.
Where viable local options do not exist, the policy requires that contracts include provisions for technology transfer, local production, or skills development.
As a case in point, the Minister cited the sugar industry, where despite local capacity, Nigeria continues to import vast quantities of sugar. Under the new directive, such practices would no longer be acceptable.
“The provision of quota allocations under the National Sugar Master Plan will now take into consideration each participant’s investment in backward integration and local production capacity,” Idris explained.
The ultimate goal of the policy, according to Idris, is to build capacity in domestic industries by ensuring that Nigerian firms are no longer sidelined in favour of foreign suppliers, especially in sectors where local alternatives are available.
“The days when contractors acted merely as intermediaries importing foreign goods while local factories shut down are over. President Tinubu wants Nigeria to stop sitting on the sidelines and start producing what we consume”, he declared.
The move is part of the broader Renewed Hope Agenda championed by the Tinubu administration, which emphasises economic resilience, job creation, and inclusive growth driven by local innovation and industrialisation.
The Minister assured that the Federal Executive Council would closely monitor the implementation of the new directive, adding that it marks a turning point in how the government engages with the private sector and develops the economy.
“This is not just a policy shift, it is a reorientation of national priorities,” Idris said.
t just a policy shift, it is a reorientation of national priorities,” Idris said.
