FG Introduces Mandatory Certification For Equipment Leasing Contracts

The federal authorities has introduced the enforcement of the Equipment Leasing Registration Authority (ELRA) Certificate as a compulsory eligibility criterion for all public procurement processes involving the leasing of kit.

The directive was formally communicated via a round issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, FNIM, CON, with Ref. No. 59780/S.2/B/584, dated 12 August 2026.

The round mandated all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and procuring entities to make proof of registration with ELRA a compulsory requirement for public procurement processes involving the leasing, hiring or provision of kit. The measure is geared toward strengthening transparency, effectivity, worth for cash and professionalism in public procurement and gear leasing practices.

The Acting Head of Public Relations on the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Ngozi C. Anyaelezu, acknowledged on Thursday that the federal authorities had additional directed MDAs to include compliance with the registration of lease agreements, consistent with Section 13 of the Equipment Leasing Act, 2015, as a further eligibility and responsiveness criterion for bids involving gear leasing.

“In line with the provisions of this round, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Bureau of Public Procurement, Dr Adebowale A. Adedokun, FCIPS, has known as on all MDAs and procuring entities to make sure full compliance with this requirement of their procurement actions, because the round is meant to strengthen regulatory compliance, promote security and high quality requirements, and eradicate unregistered and unregulated gear leasing practices inside public procurement.

“Dr Adedokun emphasised that, in accordance with the SGF’s circular, advertisements and solicitation documents for new projects and programmes, including prequalification exercises, financial bids and combined procurement exercises, are expected to clearly specify the requirement for prospective bidders involved in equipment leasing to submit evidence of ELRA registration,” Anyaelezu acknowledged.

All MDAs, potential authorities contractors and procuring entities have due to this fact been directed to provide the round broad circulation and guarantee strict compliance, with acceptable administrative and regulatory sanctions to be utilized for non-compliance.