The Chevening Alumni Association of Nigeria (CAAN) has formally concluded the Scaling Women’s Economic Empowerment through Affirmative Procurement (SWEEAP) project, marking the end of a multi stakeholder initiative designed to expand women’s participation in Nigeria’s public procurement system. The close out ceremony, held at the British High Commissioner’s Residence in Abuja, brought together policymakers, development partners, private sector leaders, and programme beneficiaries to assess outcomes and outline future reforms.
Implemented in partnership with “Do Take Action”, the project focused on addressing structural barriers that limit women owned businesses from accessing government contracts. Public procurement remains one of the largest channels of economic distribution in Nigeria, yet women entrepreneurs have historically been underrepresented within the system. SWEEAP sought to correct this imbalance through targeted training, policy engagement, and institutional collaboration.
During the implementation period, the programme trained 691 women entrepreneurs across Kano and Rivers States. Participants received technical guidance on procurement procedures, compliance standards, and competitive bidding strategies intended to strengthen their readiness for public contracting opportunities. The initiative produced early measurable outcomes, with three participants successfully securing government procurement contracts directly linked to skills acquired during the training.
The event also featured the presentation of policy briefs and the project report, alongside recognition awards for outstanding participants. Stakeholders used the occasion to reinforce commitments toward institutionalising gender responsive procurement frameworks nationwide. According to organisers, strengthening women’s economic inclusion requires both capacity building and systemic policy reforms that lower entry barriers within procurement processes.
Speaking at the reception, the British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Gill Lever, highlighted the broader development impact of the initiative, stating: “It is inspiring to see the impact our Chevening alumni are driving across Nigeria. Through programmes like SWEEAP, supported by the Chevening Alumni Programme Fund, we are already seeing clear results: 691 beneficiaries trained and over 500 women owned businesses now pursuing procurement opportunities in Kano and Rivers States. Congratulations to all beneficiaries receiving awards today.”
Regulatory authorities also reaffirmed policy support for inclusive procurement. The Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, Dr Adebowale Adedokun, noted ongoing reforms aimed at embedding inclusion within Nigeria’s legal procurement framework. He explained that smaller contracts, particularly those below N15 million, would increasingly prioritise qualified local businesses while simplifying documentation requirements to reduce participation barriers.
Similarly, representatives from Rivers State’s procurement agency emphasised efforts to deliberately integrate more women owned enterprises into contractor databases and expand access to opportunities through continued training and monitoring of measurable outcomes. These measures, stakeholders argued, are essential to correcting longstanding structural imbalances within public contracting systems.
CAAN representatives described SWEEAP as evidence of the developmental role alumni networks can play when aligned with policy advocacy and institutional partnerships. The initiative demonstrated how coordinated engagement between government agencies, international partners, and civil society organisations can translate policy ideas into practical economic outcomes.
Commenting on the project’s broader significance, the implementing partner stressed that equitable access to markets is as important as access to finance for entrepreneurs. “Access to markets is as critical as access to capital. Public procurement remains one of the government’s most powerful economic instruments,” a representative stated, adding that inclusive systems can drive job creation and sustainable growth.
The programme concluded with renewed calls for sustained collaboration among public institutions, development partners, and private sector actors to ensure gender inclusive procurement reforms continue beyond the project lifecycle, reinforcing momentum toward long term women’s economic empowerment in Nigeria.
