President Bola Tinubu has given his approval for the Renewed Hope Nigeria-First policy, which requires all federal ministries, departments, and agencies to prioritize the use of Nigerian goods, services, and expertise when spending public funds.
This update was shared by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, after the Federal Executive Council meeting held at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja on Monday.
Idris stated that the initiative is designed to ensure that every naira spent by the government benefits Nigeria, placing the country at the forefront of public spending decisions.
To formalize the policy, an Executive Order will be issued in the coming days, according to Idris.
The policy echoes former U.S. President Donald Trump’s “America First” approach.
The Minister explained that the policy’s primary goal is to support local industries, decrease reliance on imported goods and services, and place Nigeria at the center of all government procurement activities. He stressed that local alternatives should be preferred over imports whenever available.
“The policy ensures that Nigerian interests take precedence in government transactions,” Idris remarked, adding that the Attorney-General has been tasked with drafting an Executive Order to embed these resolutions into law, which will reshape how the government spends, procures, and invests in its economy.
Under the new guidelines, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) will update and enforce rules that support local manufacturers and service providers. A Local Content Compliance Framework will be introduced, and the BPP will maintain a registry of high-quality Nigerian suppliers regularly engaged by the government.
Additionally, all ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) are now prohibited from purchasing foreign goods or services that are already available locally, unless granted a waiver by the BPP. When no local alternatives exist, contracts must include provisions for technology transfer, local production, or skills development, similar to policies in place in the Sugar Master Plan to encourage investment in domestic production.
MDAs have been given a deadline to revise their procurement plans for 2025 to align with the new policy standards.
“No procurement of foreign goods or services already available in Nigeria will proceed without proper justification and a BPP waiver,” the directive stated.
The Attorney-General, Lateef Fagbemi, has been tasked with preparing an Executive Order that will make the policy legally binding.
