Gov Eno Moves To Create More Indigenous Millionaires With Procurement Portal

FRIDAY March 14, 2025 |TheNewsDESK

By Henshaw NYONG & Atuekong Paul BASSEY

The Akwa Ibom State Government has taken another bold step toward transparency and economic empowerment with the launch of a digital procurement portal aimed at creating more opportunities for indigenous contractors.

At a joint press briefing on Friday at the Akpan Isemin Hall, Government House, Uyo, the Commissioner for Science and Digital Economy, Engr. Frank Ekpenyong, Ph.D., described the initiative as a trailblazing that will ensure fairness in the bidding process for government contracts.

Taking journalists through a PowerPoint presentation, the Commissioner explained that the new portal, created on the directive of Governor Umo Eno, is designed to eliminate favouritism and backdoor dealings while allowing qualified contractors to apply for projects seamlessly.

“We are here today because we have a governor who believes in transparency. His directive was clear – every contract and procurement bidding must be open to all qualified persons. This portal ensures that only competent contractors with proven capacity are selected for government jobs,” he stated.

Ekpenyong further disclosed that the platform provides contractors and vendors access to numerous projects, including the construction of over 400 houses this year, covering Commissioners’ quarters, Legislative and Judiciary quarters, Medical Village, AKBC headquarters, and Aviation quarters, among others.

He urged interested contractors to visit procurement.akwaibomstate.gov.ng and register, explaining that each applicant will receive an 11-digit unique number after successfully completing the process.

Speaking on the Akwa Ibom Electronic Identity System (AKeID), Engr. Ekpenyong explained that residents need to provide their National Identification Number (NIN), Voter Identification Number (VIN), and bank details to register. He described the system as a secure, one-stop portal designed to streamline personal verification processes.

According to him, once an individual is verified, they will be assigned a unique 11-digit number, which will serve as a single access key for multiple government platforms, including the procurement portal, employment portal, MSMEs portal, and bursary portal.

“This will eliminate the stress of repeatedly entering personal details like bank information, NIN, and VIN when applying for government services,” he added.

The portal, he said, can be accessed at identity.akwaibomstate.gov.ng.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Information, Hon. Aniekan Umanah, had highlighted Governor Umo Eno’s commitment to development, recalling the governor’s recent engagements, from town hall meetings and the ARISE Entrepreneurial Support Scheme to the inauguration of a Model Primary School and the Maritime Hub in Oron.

He revealed that it was during the last Delivery Advisory Meeting that Governor Eno directed the Ministry of Science and Digital Economy to create the procurement portal to ensure that contractors and vendors with capacity can bid for jobs without undue interference.

The press briefing was attended by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Ekerete Udoh; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Akparawa James Edet; Permanent Secretary, Finance and General Purposes Committee (FGPC); and the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Research and Documentation, Dr. Essien Ndueso, among others.