By Felix Khanoba
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has disclosed that three of the six universities participating in the Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement (SPESSE) Project have commenced Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programmes under the initiative.
Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during the signing of performance contracts by Vice-Chancellors of the SPESSE host universities.
The World Bank-supported SPESSE Project was designed to bridge the shortage of skilled professionals in procurement, environmental and social safeguards within the Nigerian University System, as well as expand access to specialised academic programmes in the sector.
Ribadu said while three participating universities had already begun their PhD programmes, the remaining three Centres of Excellence were expected to commence theirs in the next academic session.
“I am particularly pleased that the sustainability plans developed by the Centres under the first phase of the Project address critical areas such as the commencement of PhD programmes – and I must add that this was not captured in the original project Performance-based Conditions (PBCs). I am proud to inform you that this is already being actualised, with the commencement of PhD programmes by three of the six Centres, and the outstanding three set to commence in the next academic session commencing in July 2026,” he said.
The NUC boss charged the centres to intensify efforts towards meeting the project’s broader objectives.
“Across the Project, we expect to see the production of at least 60 PhDs, the enrolment of no fewer than 60 foreign students, the facilitation of at least 18 staff internships, and the provision of no less than 60 student exchange programmes with foreign institutions.
“We already have an expression of interest from The Gambia to send some of their citizens to the Centres, and I urge the Vice-Chancellors to take advantage of this opportunity. My recommendation is that each SPESSSE host university offer some form of scholarship – whether it is tuition or accommodation – to facilitate and fast-track the enrolment of these foreign students.
” Furthermore, we expect that the Centres will facilitate the establishment or upgrade of functional Open and Distance Learning facilities in their host universities, while putting in place robust Management Information Systems to strengthen institutional efficiency,” Ribadu said.
He further revealed that about 24,000 Nigerians would benefit from a new $65 million funding phase of the SPESSE project.
According to him, the additional funding builds on the gains recorded under the initial $80 million SPESSE project which became effective in 2021.
Ribadu noted that the participating universities emerged through a rigorous selection process that assessed institutional readiness, quality assurance mechanisms and sustainability plans.
He added that the institutions, drawn from the six geopolitical zones, were already contributing significantly to the development of skilled manpower required to drive transparency, environmental responsibility and inclusive national development.
Describing the signing of the performance contracts as a reaffirmation of accountability and institutional excellence, Ribadu said the centres had recorded notable achievements, including the introduction of specialised academic programmes from short courses to undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, alongside investments in digital learning and research infrastructure.
Also speaking, Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, said the project had so far trained more than 2,700 officers from both the public and private sectors to strengthen procurement competence nationwide.
He said the next phase of the project would support the implementation of Nigeria’s electronic procurement system and expand online capacity-building initiatives for policymakers and small and medium-scale enterprises handling public funds.
On his part, the World Bank Task Team Leader for SPESSE, Mr. Ishtiak Siddique, disclosed that over 40,000 participants had been trained under the original project, with more than 4,000 already certified in procurement, environmental and social standards.
He explained that the additional financing would prioritise capacity building across federal, state and local government institutions to enhance development outcomes.
Siddique stressed that sustainability remained central to the project to ensure continuity beyond donor support.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, also reaffirmed her institution’s commitment to strengthening professional capacity under the SPESSE framework.
She pledged continued support for postgraduate training, institutional ownership and international collaborations.
