The Federal Government is developing a National Policy on Affirmative Procurement aimed at expanding access to government contracts for women-owned and women-led businesses across Nigeria.
The Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr Adebowale Adedokun, announced the initiative at the 2026 International Conference of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) in Abuja.
According to the Bureau, the proposed policy will introduce measures such as quota allocation, joint bidding and subcontracting to help women-owned enterprises overcome barriers to public procurement.
Adedokun explained that the initiative is designed to promote economic inclusion, strengthen small businesses and create employment opportunities without compromising transparency, accountability, competition and value for money.
The policy also seeks to encourage women engineers to establish and expand their own businesses in construction, engineering consultancy, technology and other sectors capable of securing government contracts.
The BPP called for collaboration with APWEN and other stakeholders to build the capacity of women entrepreneurs and ensure the proposed framework is practical, legally sound and economically sustainable.
If effectively implemented, the policy could provide more opportunities for women-owned businesses to participate in major infrastructure projects and contribute to Nigeria’s economic development.
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