The Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement Centre of Excellence (SPESSECE), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, has organised a capacity-building for procurement officers across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in Northern Nigeria.
The training was designed to equip participants with modern skills required to achieve value for money in procurement processes.
Speaking during the closing ceremony, the Programme Coordinator, SPESSECE ABU Zaria, Dr. Abdullahi Muhammad, said the initiative aims to address infrastructural and procedural gaps in Nigeria’s procurement system.
According to him, the project seeks to close loopholes in public sector procurement while also creating opportunities for a fraction of unemployed youths.
Dr. Muhammad noted that the Federal Government, in collaboration with the World Bank, has made significant investments in promoting modern procurement practices, stressing the need for participants to apply the knowledge gained in their respective organisations.
“The first phase of the SPESSECE programmes is completely free, but after June 2026, anything can happen. I therefore urge participants to take advantage of the upcoming Environmental and Social Training scheduled for December 2025,” he added.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Director of Ecobalance Academy, Dr. Haruna Mani, expressed optimism that the partnership would yield long-term positive results. He described the Kano programme as the first advanced training under the SPESSECE initiative.
Some of the participants, including Saminu Sani from Federal Polytechnic Daura and Hamisu Lawan from the Science and Technical Schools Board, Kano, commended the initiative, describing the training as timely and impactful.
They pledged to put the knowledge acquired into practice to enhance procurement standards across MDAs.
Radio Nigeria reports that the training, tagged Executive Short Courses in Procurement Management, Sustainable Environmental Studies, and Social Development Studies, was organised by SPESSECE ABU Zaria in partnership with Ecobalance Academy, Kano.