World Bank Commends SPESSE Environmental Node On Launch of Professional Certification Exams
The World Bank has commended the Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement (SPESSE) Environmental Node for commencing professional certification examinations, describing the development as a major milestone in the project’s implementation.
According to the Bank, the initiative marks SPESSE’s transition from theoretical capacity building to the practical application of standards based certification.
The commendation followed the recently concluded Implementation Support Mission on the SPESSE Project, held between November and December 2025. As part of the mission, a World Bank delegation undertook a focused visit to the SPESSE Environmental Node, hosted by the Environmental Assessment Department of the Federal Ministry of Environment.
Receiving the delegation on behalf of the Environmental Node, the Director of the Environmental Assessment Department, Mrs. Rofikat Adebunkola Odetoro, reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to establishing certification systems under SPESSE that are credible, transparent and institutionally sustainable.
Speaking during the visit, the World Bank Task Team Leader, Mr. Ishtiak Siddiqe, praised the Environmental Node for initiating certification activities but cautioned that success should not be measured solely by the number of certificates issued.
He stressed that the long-term value of the programme would depend on the credibility, governance and verifiability of the systems underpinning the certification process, particularly the National Environmental Standards Certification Programme (NESCP).
According to him, verification is not an administrative formality but the foundation for building confidence in SPESSE certifications among development partners, government institutions and the professional community.
“For the Environmental Node, this reinforces the need to align operational practices with the verification standards that underpin the credibility of the certification system,” Siddiqe said.
The engagement went beyond a routine progress review, reflecting the World Bank’s emphasis on strengthening institutional systems capable of sustaining SPESSE outcomes beyond the project’s lifespan.
A key area of discussion was the independent verification framework embedded in SPESSE’s results based financing structure. The Task Team outlined expectations, indicators and assessment approaches that would guide future verification exercises.
In response, the SPESSE Environmental Node Project Coordinator, Mr. Hussain Shittu, explained that operational practices are being aligned with these standards, with systems in place to ensure comprehensive digital records, clear audit trails and accessible participant data through the certification portal.
Shittu added that the entire certification process from application and screening to examinations and issuance is managed on a digital platform designed to promote consistency, transparency and traceability.
Governance arrangements also featured prominently, as the World Bank underscored the importance of formal certification approval structures, including certification boards and secretariats, to ensure institutional legitimacy.
The team acknowledged ongoing efforts to align the Environmental Node’s certification governance with practices across other SPESSE Nodes and relevant national institutions, aimed at strengthening institutional ownership and public confidence.
Beyond certification, discussions also linked SPESSE outcomes to broader development impact. On additional financing, the World Bank highlighted a strategic focus on Ministries, Departments and Agencies with high concentrations of World Bank funded projects, to ensure that SPESSE certified professionals are deployed where development investments are most active.
As SPESSE approaches project closure and potential additional financing, the World Bank reaffirmed that effective standards systems require not only training, but also strong governance, rigorous verification and institutional discipline.
The engagement, the Bank noted, reinforces SPESSE’s core objective of leaving behind durable systems that uphold environmental and social standards long after the project concludes.
