Government Says 24,000 Nigerians Will Benefit from $65 Million World Bank Funding

The National Universities Commission (NUC) announced that at least 24,000 Nigerians will benefit from a new $65 million funding tranche of the World Bank‑backed Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement (SPESSE) project.

Professor Abdullahi Ribadu, Executive Secretary of the NUC, revealed the plan on Wednesday in Abuja during the signing of performance contracts for the additional SPESSE financing.

Ribadu explained that the new funding builds on the success of the original $80 million SPESSE project, which began in 2021.

The initiative aims to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity in procurement, environmental management and social standards across both public and private institutions.

According to Ribadu, the project tackles the shortage of skilled professionals in key governance areas.

“With the support of the World Bank and under the coordination of the NUC, six centres of excellence were established across the six geopolitical zones to provide sustainable capacity building in these critical sectors,” he said.

He added that the centres are ensuring inclusivity throughout the country.

Ribadu noted that participating universities were selected through a rigorous and competitive process that assessed institutional readiness, quality assurance and sustainability.

The institutions already play vital roles in producing skilled manpower to support transparency, environmental responsibility and inclusive development.

The NUC chief described the contract signing as a renewed commitment to accountability, sustainability and institutional excellence.

He disclosed that three of the six centres had already started PhD programmes, while the others are expected to launch by July 2026.

Under the new phase, the commission targets at least 60 PhD graduates, enrolment of 60 foreign students, staff internships and expanded student exchange programmes with international institutions.

Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, Director‑General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), said the project has trained more than 2,700 public and private sector officers to strengthen procurement competence nationwide.

Adedokun stated that the next phase will support the rollout of Nigeria’s electronic procurement system and expand online capacity‑building for policymakers and SMEs handling public funds.

Mr. Ishtiak Siddique, World Bank Task Team Leader for SPESSE, said more than 40,000 participants have been trained under the original project, with over 4,000 certified in procurement, environmental and social standards.

Siddique added that the additional funding will prioritise capacity building for federal, state and local government agencies to accelerate development impact.

He emphasized that sustainability remains central to the project to ensure continuity beyond donor support.

Professor Folasade Ogunsola, Vice‑Chancellor of the University of Lagos, reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to strengthening professional capacity under the SPESSE framework.

Ogunsola pledged to deepen postgraduate training, institutional ownership and international collaborations.