The Federal Government on Monday unveiled the National Guidelines for Public Procurement of Food and Related Services to standardise food purchases across ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
The move set the stage for the introduction of minimum nutrition, food safety and quality standards for suppliers seeking government contracts.
The guidelines, launched by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) in Abuja, are expected to provide a uniform framework for procuring food and related services in public institutions, including hospitals, schools, correctional centres, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camps and internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.
Director-General of the BPP, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, said the guidelines were designed to address inconsistencies in food procurement across public institutions and ensure that public spending delivers value for money while promoting healthier food standards.
He said the bureau would provide regulatory standards while procuring entities remained responsible for implementation.
“We are not an implementing agency. We are to provide the baseline upon which agencies will operate,” he said.
Adedokun added that procuring entities would now be required to incorporate minimum nutrition, food safety and quality standards into bidding documents, while only qualified suppliers would be eligible to provide food and related services to government institutions.
“No contractor can supply food to correctional centres or other public institutions without meeting the minimum standards approved by the relevant authorities,” he said.
He explained that the guidelines would also strengthen contract monitoring, encourage responsible local sourcing, introduce innovative procurement methods and create greater opportunities for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to participate in government procurement.
According to him, procurement officers across government institutions would undergo capacity building to support implementation of the new framework, while civil society organisations would be encouraged to monitor compliance.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said public procurement should no longer be viewed merely as an administrative process but as a strategic policy tool for improving public health and national development.
He said government procurement decisions have the capacity to shape healthier food systems by encouraging producers and suppliers to meet higher standards.
“Government procurement must not merely respond to markets; it must help shape them. When the government demands healthier, safer and more nutritious food, it creates incentives for the entire food system to innovate, improve quality and align with higher public health standards,” he said.
Salako added that the guidelines would reinforce existing national policies on sodium reduction, trans-fat regulation and food safety while supporting efforts to reduce diet-related diseases and improve nutrition in public institutions.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, said the ministry attached great importance to the guidelines because of their potential to improve food safety and public health.
Kachollom added that the guidelines were “not merely a regulatory instrument” but “a public health intervention” that would improve the nutritional quality of meals served in schools, hospitals, correctional centres, internally displaced persons’ camps and other government-funded institutions.