Rivers State Pushes Diversification with UK-Supported Procurement Driv

• Rivers State is making attempts to look in other directions away from oil and federal funding
• A UK-supported initiative is highlighting opportunities in Nigeria's large public procurement market
• Despite government reforms, implementation has been slow

While further diversification of the Rivers State economy beyond federal allocations and oil revenue continues, a new UK-supported initiative brings into focus some untapped opportunities within Nigeria’s trillions-of-naira public procurement sector annually.

Though the federal government has put forward a number of reform frameworks, their actual implementation has remained slow, with women-owned businesses still facing limited opportunities for access to the contracts that underpin economic growth.

Next week, CAAN, in partnership with civil society organisation DO Take Action and with support from the UK FCDO, will host a two-day programme in Port Harcourt, which will address these challenges.

The Scaling Women's Economic Empowerment through Affirmative Procurement project aims to position gender-responsive procurement both as a governance imperative and practical approach to creating jobs, delivering better services, and deepening state level economic systems.

The event starts on 11 December with a train-the-trainer's workshop for procurement officers, gender focal persons, and civil society groups on how to infuse GRB and GRP into the internal processes of ministries, departments, and agencies in Rivers State.

The second day will comprise a stakeholder forum that brings together government representatives, policymakers, private sector actors, development partners, and women entrepreneurs.

Besides policy dialogue, the forum is intended to encourage partnerships in support of institutional reforms, attracting investment, and helping businesses particularly those owned or led by women—prepare for public procurement opportunities.

The UK government says the programme is in line with its wider development approach in Nigeria, which focuses more on institutional capacity-building instead of direct budgetary support.

“This project represents our commitment to strengthening institutions and promoting policy debates that underpin inclusive economic growth and gender equality,” said Oluwafunmilayo Ladepo, Chevening programme officer at the British High Commission.

CAAN President Kester Osahenye said that such an initiative is illustrative of how alumni networks can help advance reforms. "Our aim is the development of capacity both at government agencies and at women-owned businesses to ensure that gender-responsive procurement becomes standard practice," he said.

Women-owned enterprises in Nigeria experience various obstacles in competing for public contracts, ranging from limited information on bids to challenges related to certification, high pre-qualification standards, and lack of proper financial documentation.

SWEEAP attempts to alleviate some of these hurdles through training and mentorship. Graduation of the participants during the forum will introduce them into a growing pool of suppliers that is more capable of competing in procurement opportunities.

Precious Ebere Chinonso, the chief executive of DO Take Action, described the initiative as an effort to address long-standing barriers affecting women’s participation in public procurement, noting both capacity-building and stakeholder engagement will be key to ensuring meaningful inclusion.