The AECF

In Nigeria, many women‑owned businesses and small enterprises struggle to access government contracts. In Kano State, Informal businesses, especially those led by women in agriculture and trade, dominate local markets but are often excluded from formal procurement. At the same time, procurement processes can be complicated and not designed with marginalized groups in mind.

To address this, Public Sector Gender Champions, trained by AECF on advocacy and gender mainstreaming, worked with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Children, and Persons with Special Needs to present an advocacy paper on inclusive public procurement to the Ministry of Procurement, Monitoring and Evaluation.

The paper calls for reforms that make procurement fairer and more inclusive, ensuring women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized groups can participate fully. Once adopted, this framework will help build stronger local economies, promote gender equity, and align Kano State with national and global commitments on inclusive development.