Public procurement is no longer viewed globally as a purely administrative function concerned only with purchasing goods, works, and services at the lowest cost. Increasingly, it is recognised as a powerful governance and development instrument capable of advancing economic inclusion, institutional accountability, and national development objectives. Contemporary research and international policy frameworks consistently show that procurement systems, when properly designed, can promote fairness, stimulate local enterprise, and support broader public policy goals (McCrudden, 2004; OECD, 2015).
Affirmative procurement has emerged within this global context as a strategic approach that deliberately expands access to public contracts for underrepresented or historically disadvantaged groups, including small and medium-sized enterprises, women-owned businesses, youth-led enterprises, persons with disabilities, small and medium enterprises, and other disadvantaged economic actors. Rather than undermining competition, evidence from multiple jurisdictions demonstrates that inclusive procurement policies can widen supplier participation, strengthen domestic supply chains, and enhance overall market competitiveness (Loader, 2015; Flynn & Davis, 2017). The World Bank has consistently emphasised that public procurement, which often accounts for 15–25 per cent of GDP in developing economies, represents one of the most effective levers for inclusive growth when aligned with development priorities (World Bank, 2017).
International standards clearly support the integration of social and economic objectives into procurement governance. The World Bank’s Procurement Framework redefines “value for money” to include sustainability, quality, and socio-economic impact, rather than price alone (World Bank, 2016). Similarly, the OECD has affirmed that strategic public procurement can be used to promote inclusion, innovation, and resilience, provided that transparency, proportionality, and accountability are maintained (OECD, 2015). These positions are further reinforced by UNCITRAL’s recognition that procurement systems may legitimately pursue secondary policy objectives where such objectives are clearly articulated and lawfully implemented.
Within Nigeria’s procurement system, affirmative procurement is not alien to the existing legal framework. Although the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2007 does not explicitly label affirmative procurement as a standalone policy, its core principles of competition, transparency, equity, and efficiency provide sufficient legal space for inclusive procurement measures. Comparative research on procurement law confirms that most procurement statutes enable, rather than prescribe, social policy interventions through flexible mechanisms such as lot structuring, qualification criteria, procurement planning, and evaluation methodologies (Arrowsmith, 2010). When properly designed, affirmative procurement therefore complements, rather than contradicts, the objectives of the PPA.
Recent reforms within Nigeria’s procurement architecture further strengthen the case for affirmative procurement. Under the leadership of the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, Dr. Adebowale A. Adedokun, there has been renewed emphasis on transparency, professionalisation, digitalisation, and ethical compliance. These reforms are closely aligned with World Bank–supported procurement modernisation initiatives that prioritise institutional capacity, professional certification, and accountability as foundations for effective procurement governance (World Bank, 2020). A professional and digitally enabled procurement workforce provides the necessary institutional backbone for implementing inclusion-oriented procurement policies without compromising integrity.
Affirmative procurement also aligns squarely with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its focus on inclusive economic growth, job creation, and institutional reform. Global experience demonstrates that governments that deliberately leverage procurement spending to support local enterprises and marginalised groups achieve stronger economic multipliers and more resilient domestic markets (OECD, 2019). In Nigeria, where public procurement constitutes a significant portion of government expenditure, embedding inclusion into procurement processes offers a practical pathway for translating public spending into broad-based economic opportunity.
From a governance standpoint, affirmative procurement can enhance accountability and reduce corruption risks when implemented through clear rules, measurable criteria, and robust oversight. Research indicates that broadening participation in public procurement often reduces market concentration and limits the discretion that enables rent-seeking behaviour (Loader & Norton, 2016). Far from weakening procurement controls, a well-regulated affirmative procurement framework can strengthen compliance, transparency, and public confidence in the procurement system.
That said, affirmative procurement is not self-executing. International studies caution that inclusion policies must be accompanied by supplier development programmes, access to finance, data-driven monitoring, and continuous professional training to avoid unintended consequences or elite capture (Flynn et al., 2015; World Bank, 2021). Nigeria’s ongoing procurement professionalisation efforts, particularly structured certification under the National Procurement Certification Programme (NPCP), are therefore critical to ensuring that affirmative procurement delivers real governance and developmental benefits.
In sum, affirmative procurement represents a legitimate, globally endorsed, and governance-enhancing tool for Nigeria’s public procurement system. Anchored in international standards and reinforced by ongoing reforms at the Bureau of Public Procurement, it offers a pathway for transforming procurement into an instrument of inclusion, integrity, and national development.
When transparently designed and professionally implemented, affirmative procurement can help reposition public procurement as a cornerstone of good governance and inclusive economic growth in Nigeria.
