Senate Reconsiders, Passes 2 Bills On Local Industries, Procurement

The Senate has rescinded its earlier decisions on two amendment bills that President Bola Tinubu returned for reconsideration and subsequently passed the legislation after addressing concerns raised by the Federal Ministry of Justice.

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 decision followed a motion sponsored by the Senate Leader and senator representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District, Opeyemi Bamidele, during plenary on Tuesday.

Moving the motion, Bamidele explained that the National Assembly had previously passed the bills and transmitted them to the President for assent before the Federal Ministry of Justice identified issues requiring further legislative consideration and clarification.

He said the President subsequently returned the bills to the National Assembly with observations for reconsideration and necessary amendments.

According to him, a technical committee comprising representatives of the Senate, House of Representatives and legal drafting experts from the Federal Ministry of Justice and the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation had been constituted to examine and resolve the identified issues.

The committee’s intervention aimed to ensure legal clarity, consistency, and proper drafting of the proposed amendments before further legislative action.

Following the motion, the Senate resolved to rescind its earlier decisions on the bills and to recommit them to the Committee of the Whole for comprehensive reconsideration, pursuant to Orders 1(b) and 52(6) of its Standing Orders.

During consideration in the Committee of the Whole, senators reviewed and approved the provisions of the two bills before completing the third-reading stage.

For the Raw Materials Research and Development Council amendment, lawmakers approved Clauses 1 to 5, alongside the short title, explanatory memorandum and long title, in line with the committee’s recommendations.

The Senate also approved the relevant clauses and long title of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria amendment bill.

After the consideration, the presiding officer asked senators to confirm whether the decisions reflected the proceedings of the Committee of the Whole. The lawmakers responded in the affirmative.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio subsequently announced the passage of the two bills after their third readings.

The Raw Materials Research and Development Council amendment seeks to amend the council’s enabling law, identified in the bill as Act No. 28 of 2022, to provide for the protection and development of Nigeria’s local manufacturing and processing industries, among other related matters.

The legislation is expected to strengthen the framework for developing domestic raw materials and supporting local industries.

Similarly, the amendment to the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, identified as Act No. 21 of 2007, seeks to update the institute’s legal framework to reflect developments in professional procurement practices and align its operations with evolving international standards.

The two bills are expected to support domestic industrial development and modernise the regulatory framework for professional procurement practice in Nigeria.

Their passage followed the Senate’s reconsideration of the President’s observations and the resolution of issues identified during the legal review.