Senators in session
The Senate on Tuesday passed two amendment bills seeking to strengthen local manufacturing and improve Nigeria’s procurement professional practice.
The bills included 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 Senate passed the bills during plenary after rescinding its earlier decisions and recommitting them to the Committee of the Whole for further legislative consideration.
The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, while moving the motion, said the bills had been considered by the National Assembly and transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
Bamidele said that the Federal Ministry of Justice subsequently identified fundamental issues requiring further legislative consideration and clarification in the bills.
He said that the Raw Materials Research and Development Council amendment seeks to protect and develop Nigeria’s local manufacturing and processing industries.
He added that the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria amendment seeks to reflect and accommodate developments in procurement professional practice globally.
Bamidele said that the president returned the bills to the National Assembly with observations for reconsideration and necessary amendments.
He said a technical committee comprising representatives of both chambers and legal drafting experts examined the issues raised in the President’s observations.
The senate leader said the exercise was necessary to ensure legal clarity, consistency and proper drafting before the bills were passed.
Following the adoption of the motion, the senate rescinded its earlier decisions on the bills and recommitted them to the Committee of the Whole.
At the committee of the whole, the lawmakers considered the bills clause by clause and adopted the recommended amendments.
The senate, after consideration of the bills, approved the bills for third reading.
The bills were subsequently read for the third time and passed by the senate. (NAN)
