Nigeria mandates 14-day standstill period for public contracts

The Nigerian Federal Government has mandated a compulsory 14-calendar-day standstill period before the execution of any public procurement contracts. This directive, issued via a circular by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, applies to all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) and takes effect immediately for both ongoing and future procurement activities.

Under the new regulation, once an award recommendation is approved, the procuring entity must notify all participating bidders of the intended winner. Agencies are then required to wait 14 days before signing a contract agreement or allowing a Letter of Award to become effective. This interval is designed to allow unsuccessful bidders to seek clarification or file formal complaints regarding the procurement process.

If a complaint is lodged during this period, the agency must address it promptly in accordance with the Public Procurement Act of 2007 and Bureau of Public Procurement guidelines. Contract proceedings must be paused until the matter is resolved. Failure to comply with this directive may result in administrative sanctions for the responsible officials.