The National Universities Commission (NUC) on Wednesday formally signed performance contracts with the Vice-Chancellors of six host universities under the Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement (SPESSE) Project to activate the implementation of a new $65 million additional financing package from the World Bank.

The signing ceremony, held in Abuja, marked the beginning of a new implementation phase for the SPESSE Project, which is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s human capital capacity in procurement, environmental management, and social standards across both the public and private sectors.

Speaking during the event, the Executive Secretary of the NUC, Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, described the ceremony as a major milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to institutionalise accountability, sustainability, and excellence within the higher education system.

According to him, the additional financing, which recently became effective, has increased the total funding portfolio of the SPESSE Project to $145 million and extended the project implementation timeline to June 2029.

Ribadu noted that the project was originally conceived to address critical manpower shortages in procurement, environmental safeguards, and social standards management, as well as the limited availability of specialised academic programmes in these strategic areas within the Nigerian University System.

He explained that with support from the World Bank, six Centres of Excellence were established across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones following a rigorous selection process that assessed institutional readiness, quality assurance mechanisms, and sustainability plans.

“Today’s event demonstrates our collective commitment to strengthening sustainable capacity and entrenching accountability and excellence in the Nigerian public and private sectors,” Ribadu said.

Reviewing progress since the project became effective in 2021, the NUC boss said the centres have recorded significant achievements, including the development of academic curricula across multiple programme tracks such as short courses, advanced certificates, postgraduate diplomas, master’s degrees, and undergraduate programmes.

He disclosed that the centres have also benefitted from major investments in digital infrastructure, including high-performance computing systems, learning management systems, live-streaming facilities, and other virtual learning platforms that have strengthened teaching, research, and learning delivery.

Ribadu further revealed that some of the centres have begun attracting foreign students as part of efforts to internationalise Nigerian higher education, while collectively, the institutions have established more than 68 international partnerships focused on teaching, research, and professional development.

He added that in 2025, certification portals for procurement, environmental, and social standards practitioners were activated by the Bureau of Public Procurement, the Federal Ministry of Environment, and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs to strengthen professional certification and quality assurance in the sectors.

On sustainability, Ribadu said three of the six centres have already commenced PhD programmes, while the remaining three are expected to begin by the next academic session in July 2026.

He said the commission has also outlined ambitious targets for the new phase, including the production of at least 60 PhD graduates, enrolment of no fewer than 60 foreign students, facilitation of 18 staff internships, and the execution of at least 60 student exchange programmes with foreign institutions.

Ribadu also urged the participating universities to explore scholarship opportunities to attract students from other African countries, disclosing that there is already an expression of interest from The Gambia.

Also speaking, the National Project Coordinator of SPESSE, Dr Joshua Atah, said all programmes under the project have undergone resource verification and accreditation by the NUC, while relevant agencies including the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board and the National Youth Service Corps have been duly notified.

Atah said some universities have already established new faculties and departments specifically for SPESSE programmes, while others are transitioning their centres into full-fledged institutes.

He also highlighted the growing involvement of private sector organisations in sponsoring internships, field visits, and staff development under the initiative.

Under the additional financing phase, Atah disclosed that a new performance-based condition focused on digital procurement reform through the Electronic Government Procurement system has been introduced, with future disbursements tied to independently verified performance benchmarks.

He added that with the signing of the performance contracts, the SPESSE Project is now entering a more ambitious phase, one expected to deepen institutional reforms, expand specialised education, and strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to meet global standards in procurement, environmental management, and social safeguards. (Nigerian Tribune)