FEC Approves ‘Nigeria First’ Policy to Boost Local Industry
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a new policy aimed at prioritising the use of locally made goods and services in all government procurements.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this on Monday following the FEC meeting held in Abuja.
According to the minister, the ‘Nigeria First’ policy will soon be backed by an executive order and is designed to ensure that only locally available goods are procured—unless a clear and justifiable exception exists.
“This policy mandates that Nigeria comes first in all procurement processes. No foreign product or device that is locally available will be purchased without compelling justification,” Idris told journalists at the State House.
He added that the policy is intended to cultivate a business culture that is bold, confident, and distinctly Nigerian. “It’s about investing in our people and industries by reforming how government spends money, procures goods, and builds the economy,” he said.
Going forward, preference will be given to local suppliers in all public procurement. Where capacity is lacking, contracts will be structured to enable domestic capacity-building. “Contractors will no longer act as mere intermediaries bringing in foreign products while local industries are neglected,” the minister noted.
The policy is in line with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda to drive industrialisation, shield the economy from external shocks, and strengthen domestic production.
To implement the directive, FEC has instructed the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to immediately revise its guidelines to support local manufacturers and service providers.
The minister outlined several new directives for the BPP:
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Revise procurement guidelines to prioritise local content.
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Establish a compliance framework for monitoring local content in government procurements.
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Maintain a register of high-quality Nigerian manufacturers and service providers.
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Reassign procurement officers currently posted to ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) back to the BPP, to operate as a central line agency without compromising efficiency.
