President Bola Tinubu has announced a sweeping ban on has initiated a policy that bars the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, from procuring foreign goods or services already available locally without a written waiver from the Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP.
The President also placed restrictions on the use of expatriates for jobs that can be executed by Nigerian contractors or artisans, unless there is a compelling justification and express approval from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).
The policy was unveiled on Monday, May 5 following a Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, briefed journalists on the policy’s core details.
Dubbed the Renewed Hope Nigeria First Policy, the initiative aims to strengthen the domestic economy, promote local content, and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on foreign imports. Idris described it as a transformative shift in the country’s economic approach, likening it to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s “America First” doctrine.
“The Nigeria First Policy places our country at the center of public procurement and business activity, with a strong focus on empowering local industries,” Idris said. “It is designed to foster a new business culture that is bold, confident, and uniquely Nigerian.”
To give the policy legal backing, the Attorney General of the Federation has been directed to draft an Executive Order.
Key directives under the new policy include:
Revised procurement rules: The BPP will enforce new guidelines that prioritise Nigerian-made goods and homegrown services across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
Compliance mechanism: A robust monitoring system will ensure government procurement aligns with local content requirements.
Supplier database: The BPP will maintain an updated list of high-quality Nigerian suppliers as the default reference for procurement.
Centralised procurement oversight: Procurement officers across MDAs will now report directly to the BPP to curb undue influence and corruption.
Mandatory waivers: No MDA may procure foreign goods or services already available locally without a written waiver from the BPP.
Technology transfer: Foreign contracts deemed unavoidable must include provisions for local capacity building, production, or technology transfer.
“All MDAs must review and resubmit their procurement plans in line with this policy. Breaches will attract disciplinary action and possible cancellation of the procurement process,” Idris warned.
He cited Nigeria’s continued importation of sugar despite a functioning Sugar Council and several domestic producers as a prime example of inefficiency the policy seeks to eliminate.
“Government money must now work for the Nigerian people,” he said. “Contractors will no longer be allowed to act as mere intermediaries importing foreign goods while Nigerian factories remain underutilised.”
The Nigeria First Policy is the latest in a series of economic reforms under the Tinubu administration, which include subsidy removals, a new foreign exchange framework, and investor confidence initiatives.
Officials acknowledge the policy may face resistance and implementation challenges but insist the government is committed to strict enforcement.
“This marks a fundamental shift. It places Nigeria—not foreign companies or imports—at the heart of our national development,” the minister concluded.
