The Federal Government has introduced a new requirement for contractors seeking to bid on public projects: a certificate of subscription to the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)’s Digital Standards Platform (DSP).
This was announced in a joint statement by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and SON on July 11, 2025, following a strategy meeting at the BPP headquarters in Abuja.
According to the statement, the move aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s “Nigeria First” policy and a May 27, 2025 directive from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), which mandates the prioritization of Made-in-Nigeria goods and compliance with approved national standards in public procurement.
Under the new rule, contractors must present a certificate of subscription to SON’s DSP during the prequalification stage of bidding. This will ensure they have access to relevant Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS) for their goods and services.
MDAs will also be required to use the DSP for procurement planning and specification writing, ensuring projects comply with national standards from the outset.
Key points from the resolution include that bidding contractors must present a certificate of subscription to SON’s Digital Standards Platform as part of their prequalification documentation, and MDAs must use the platform when planning procurements to ensure all specifications align with applicable standards.
BPP and SON have urged MDAs and contractors to begin updating procurement processes and register on the DSP in preparation for the policy’s rollout.
The government expects the policy to boost the quality of public projects, support local industries, and minimize the entry of substandard goods into the procurement system.
