The Nigerian Senate, under the leadership of Senate President Godswill Akpabio GCON, has adopted a crucial motion aimed at empowering indigenous, youth-led, and small businesses by removing significant barriers to accessing federal contracts.
The motion, sponsored by Senator Sadiq Suleiman Umar (Kwara North), who chairs the Senate Committees on Trade & Investment and Rules & Business, seeks a transformative change in federal procurement processes.
Following extensive debate and wide support from other Senators, the Senate directed relevant government agencies to immediately eliminate stringent requirements that have historically excluded local contractors from the procurement process. These include multi-year tax clearance, PENCOM compliance, evidence of prior federal experience, and other prerequisites.
Senator Sadiq Umar applauded the Senate’s swift resolve, emphasizing that this landmark decision will “stimulate grassroots development, create real economic opportunities at the local level, and empower the last-mile Nigerian.” He passionately declared, “This is a win for the young entrepreneur and the small-town contractor. We’re opening up government contracts to those who have been locked out for too long.”
The adopted motion also proposes a progressive three-tier bidding system to further democratize access to federal contracts.
Additionally, it calls for the creation of dedicated FIRS Local Desks across all 774 Local Government Areas to ease documentation processes and the provision of vital tax incentives to support small businesses.
These measures are designed to align with the core objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda, focusing on inclusive economic growth.
Senator Sadiq Umar, through his consistent commitment to people-centered legislation, has once again reaffirmed his devotion to ensuring that federal spending directly benefits every Nigerian community and fosters sustainable economic development from the grassroots.
