The Senate has passed two amended bills aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s local manufacturing sector and improving professional standards in procurement.
The bills are the Raw Materials Research and Development Council Act Amendment Bill 2026 and the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria Establishment Act Amendment Bill 2026.
The lawmakers approved the bills during Tuesday’s plenary after reversing their earlier decisions and recommitting the proposals to the Committee of the Whole for further consideration.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who moved the motion for reconsideration, explained that the bills had previously been passed by the National Assembly and forwarded to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
However, he said the Federal Ministry of Justice later identified fundamental issues in the legislation that required additional scrutiny and clarification.
According to Bamidele, the proposed amendment to the Raw Materials Research and Development Council Act is designed to safeguard and promote Nigeria’s domestic manufacturing and processing industries.
He explained that the amendment to the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria Act seeks to align the country’s procurement profession with evolving international practices and standards.
Bamidele disclosed that the President returned the bills to the National Assembly with observations, prompting a fresh review and the introduction of necessary amendments.
He added that a technical committee comprising representatives of both chambers of the National Assembly and legal drafting specialists was established to examine the concerns raised by the President.
The Senate Leader said the review was aimed at ensuring legal clarity, consistency and accuracy in the drafting of the proposed laws before their final passage.
Following the adoption of the motion, the Senate formally rescinded its earlier decisions on the two bills and referred them to the Committee of the Whole.
The committee subsequently examined the bills clause by clause and approved the recommended changes.
After completing the review, the Senate endorsed both bills for third reading, following which they were read for the third time and passed.
