The Nigerian Senate has begun a fresh push to support local businesses by initiating amendments to the Public Procurement Act and the Local Content Act. This move is aimed at creating more opportunities for indigenous contractors, especially newly registered companies, in public projects.
The Senate mandated its Committee on Procurement to collaborate with the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to begin reviewing existing laws. The goal is to reduce the dominance of foreign contractors and promote the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the country.
This decision followed a motion by Senator Suleiman Umar Sadiq (APC, Kwara North), who raised concerns about the continued sidelining of local firms in government contracts worth less than ₦50 million. According to him, many of these contracts are awarded to large foreign companies, which weakens local capacity and hinders job creation.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other lawmakers supported the call for change, stressing the need to block loopholes that allow foreign dominance—particularly by Chinese contractors—in Nigeria’s procurement system.
The Senate Committee on Procurement will now work closely with the BPP to review and recommend policy changes that prioritize local content and simplify the qualification process for Nigerian-owned firms.
If passed, the amendment will mark a major step toward economic empowerment for indigenous contractors and help boost local production, employment, and sustainable development.
