The Independent Verification Agent (IVA) recently paid a monitoring and assessment visit to the Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement (SPESSE) Project at the University of Benin, Benin City. The visit provided an opportunity for the verification team to engage with project management, review implementation progress, and assess the extent to which the project is meeting its development objectives.
During the visit, the IVA team held productive discussions with SPESSE leadership, faculty members, and project stakeholders on achievements recorded so far, ongoing activities, and plans for future growth. The interaction highlighted the project’s commitment to strengthening capacity in sustainable procurement, environmental management, and social standards through quality education, research, and professional training.
A major highlight of the visit was the inspection of the newly developed SPESSE building. The team toured the facility to evaluate the quality of infrastructure, level of completion, and readiness of the building to support academic and administrative activities. The inspection covered lecture spaces, offices, support facilities, accessibility features, and the overall learning environment. The visitors commended the significant progress made, noting that the modern facility has the potential to enhance teaching, learning, research, and stakeholder engagement while providing a conducive environment for students and professionals participating in SPESSE programmes.
Overall, the visit reaffirmed the commitment of both the IVA and the SPESSE team to delivering a world-class centre of excellence that promotes sustainable procurement, environmental stewardship, and the development of social standards in Nigeria and beyond.
