‎BY AHMED AKANBI

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‎The Senate, on Tuesday, passed two amendment bills to boost local manufacturing and strengthen procurement practice.

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‎They 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.

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‎The passage followed rescission of earlier decisions and recommittal to the Committee of the Whole.

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‎The Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, moving the motion, said both bills had been transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent, but the Federal Ministry of Justice flagged fundamental issues needing clarification.

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‎He said the President returned the bills with observations for reconsideration.

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‎According to Bamidele, the Raw Materials Research and Development Council amendment seeks to protect and grow local manufacturing and processing industries, while the Purchasing and Supply Management amendment aligns Nigeria’s procurement practice with global developments.

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‎He said a technical committee of both chambers and legal drafting experts reviewed the President’s observations to ensure legal clarity, consistency and proper drafting.

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‎The Senate adopted the motion, rescinded its earlier passage, and considered the bills clause-by-clause in Committee of the Whole.

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‎The amended bills were then read for the third time and passed.