The National Universities Commission, NUC, and the World Bank have signed an additional 65 million dollar performance contract with Vice Chancellors of participating universities under the World Bank backed Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement Project, SPESSE.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening procurement, environmental, and social governance standards across the country.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Executive Secretary of the NUC, Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, described the development as a renewed commitment to strengthening capacity building in procurement, environmental, and social standards management.
Ribadu expressed optimism that the new funding will consolidate earlier gains while expanding training, institutional infrastructure, and professional certification systems nationwide.
The Task Team Leader of the SPESSE Project, Ishtiak Siddique in his remarks said the programme, which has trained over 40,000 people, remains one of the World Bank’s most significant partnerships with Nigeria.
Some of the benefiting Vice Chancellors also highlighted the impact of the project on their various campuses.
The additional financing phase is expected to deepen institutional ownership, expand online and distance learning opportunities, strengthen collaboration with industry and international partners, and ensure the centres become self sustaining beyond external funding support.
