Inuwa made the call while speaking on “Nigeria First, Procurement Last: How E-commerce is Rewriting Contracts” at the 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The NITDA boss said modernising public procurement should go beyond administrative processes, describing it as an important tool for building resilient public institutions, enforcing standards and driving a competitive digital economy.

According to him, NITDA reviewed 1,092 IT project proposals submitted by 326 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) between July 2023 and July 2026. The projects were valued at more than N4.24 trillion, with 1,056 projects worth ₦3.84 trillion cleared by the agency.

Inuwa said NITDA was strengthening its IT Project Clearance Framework and advancing software assurance protocols to ensure that technology projects meet required standards and deliver measurable outcomes.

He said the government’s “Nigeria First” agenda provides an opportunity to use public procurement to create substantial market opportunities for indigenous technology companies and professionals while ensuring that government spending generates tangible national value.

The NITDA DG stressed that the future of digital procurement should not simply be about purchasing more technology, but about developing the right solutions for specific needs through strong standards, local expertise and sustainable value.

He urged public institutions to embrace indigenous technology solutions as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy and promote greater value from public spending.