The Federal Government has introduced a new framework designed to improve nutrition, food safety and accountability in the procurement of meals in the Correctional Facilities, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and across other public institutions.

Named ‘Guidelines for Public Procurement of Food and Related Services’, which was unveiled by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) in Abuja yesterday, seeks to ensure that public spending on food delivers value beyond cost by promoting healthier diets, responsible sourcing and stronger support for local agricultural value chains.

Speaking at the launch, Director-General of the BPP, Dr Adebowale Adedokun, described the initiative as a major step in Nigeria’s public procurement reforms.

He argued that procurement should be used as a strategic tool to improve service delivery, strengthen governance, and drive economic development.

According to him, procurement decisions should not be based solely on price but on the quality of outcomes they deliver, including nutrition, food safety, public health and human capital development.

He said the guidelines set standards for every stage of the procurement process, from planning and specification development to bid evaluation, contract award, implementation, and monitoring, to ensure that only qualified suppliers provide food and related services to government institutions.

Adedokun said the Bureau would mainstream nutrition, quality assurance and responsible sourcing into procurement practices across healthcare facilities, schools, correctional centres and other public institutions as part of its transition to sector-based procurement.

He explained that the reform recognises the unique procurement requirements of different sectors and called on professional bodies, civil society organisations and technical institutions to support the development of additional sector-specific procurement standards.

The BPP chief also advocated developing specialist procurement expertise across sectors, including procurement professionals with backgrounds in law, healthcare, food science, pharmacy, and information technology, saying such an approach would improve quality, reduce waste, and strengthen service delivery.

He said the guidelines align with the Federal Government’s Nigeria First Policy by encouraging local sourcing where practicable, thereby supporting Nigerian farmers, food processors, transporters and other businesses while strengthening food security and creating jobs.

Adedokun urged accounting officers, procurement officers, heads of government agencies, suppliers and regulators to ensure effective implementation of the guidelines and called on state governments to adopt similar standards to promote uniformity in procurement practices nationwide.

The Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, said the new guidelines will deliver quality food to inmates through standardised procurement regulations.

“The way food is procured is expected to get better now that we have a set of guidelines that clearly spell out the qualities to look out for. Inmates have only one source of food, which is provided by the Service. Therefore, getting them nutritious food will improve the quality of life,” the Controller-General stated.

On its part, the Nigerian Heart Foundation described the emergence of the guidelines as a significant milestone that fills a longstanding gap in Nigeria’s public procurement system.

Executive Director of the Foundation, Dr Kingsley Akinroye, said the framework would help improve food environments in schools, hospitals, correctional centres and other public institutions by ensuring meals comply with evidence-based nutrition standards.

He noted that unhealthy diets have contributed to the growing burden of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and other non-communicable diseases, adding that healthier food procurement policies could help reverse the trend.

According to him, improving the nutritional quality of food served in public institutions would contribute to better health outcomes for millions of Nigerians and reduce the country’s burden of diet-related illnesses.

Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL), a global health organisation that supported the development of the guidelines, said the policy places health considerations at the centre of public food procurement.

In a goodwill message delivered on behalf of its President and Chief Executive Officer, the organisation noted that changing dietary patterns and increasing consumption of highly processed foods have contributed to rising cases of hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and obesity.

It said millions of Nigerians consume meals daily in schools, hospitals, correctional facilities, military formations and other government institutions, making public procurement an important instrument for promoting healthier diets.

The organisation said the new guidelines provide a practical framework for ensuring public resources are used to procure healthier food while making nutritious choices more accessible and affordable.

RTSL added that it would continue to support implementation through technical assistance, stakeholder engagement and evidence generation, describing the launch as the beginning of a new phase focused on implementation, accountability and measurable impact.

BPP noted that the guidelines were developed through collaboration between the Bureau of Public Procurement, the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Resolve to Save Lives and other stakeholders.

The framework is expected to strengthen procurement standards while improving nutrition, public health and food safety across Nigeria’s public institutions. (The Guardian)

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