The Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (HOPE-GOV) Program, receiving support from the World Bank, has revealed its collaboration with State Governments for the quarterly publication of contract award information. This initiative pertains specifically to procurements in the basic education and primary healthcare sectors, with details to be released within 30 days following the conclusion of each quarter.
Dr. Assad Hassan, the National Coordinator of the HOPE-GOV Program, made this announcement during the first Implementation Support Meeting for 2026, which was held virtually on Monday in Abuja. This meeting was preparatory for the First Year Verification by Independent Verification Agents.
Dr. Hassan emphasized that the contract information must be disclosed on State Government websites to facilitate verification by Independent Verification Agents. This step is essential for the disbursement of incentive funds to the states.
He indicated that the minimum information to be published regarding contract awards includes the Project Name, Awarding Institution, Award Date, Contractor's Name, and the Contract Amount.
“For Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) lacking e-procurement systems, Independent Verification Agents (IVAs) will be tasked with acquiring a breakdown of all contracts awarded that exceed the predefined threshold, as outlined in state procurement regulations. They will also verify if the disclosures made on state official websites comply with the Open Contracting Data Standards (OCDS) format.
“In instances where MDAs utilize e-procurement, the IVAs will obtain a list of all contracts awarded both during the year preceding and following the system's launch, ensuring that a state online portal is operational for recording and publishing data related to all procurement transaction cycles, including those initiated after the system went live. They will also verify if the published information adheres to the OCDS requirements,” he stated.
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