AI agents for business finance: what they can and can't do
What AI agents can do in bookkeeping, close, collections and compliance today, where a person must stay in charge, and how to judge a product.
The short answer
To bid for federal government contracts in Nigeria you must be registered on the National Database of Federal Contractors, Consultants and Service Providers, kept by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP). A 2014 directive from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation says bidders must submit an Interim Registration Report (IRR) as evidence, and unregistered firms may not do business with the federal government. Registration is online; the portal sets the current document list and fee.
Why BPP registration matters
The Public Procurement Act 2007 gives the BPP the job of keeping a national database of contractors and service providers (sections 5(h) and 6(1)(f), as cited in the circular below). In December 2014 the Secretary to the Government of the Federation issued circular SGF/50/S.52/II directing all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to include "evidence of registration on the National Database of Contractors, Consultants and Service Providers" in their tender documents. The circular says contractors who are not registered will "no longer be allowed to do business with the Government".
In practice, that means the IRR is one of the first documents an MDA's procurement unit checks when bids are opened. A strong technical bid can be disqualified at the preliminary stage for a missing or expired IRR.
What the IRR is
The Interim Registration Report is the document the database generates once your company's details and compliance documents have been submitted and accepted. The circular names it as the evidence bidders must submit; it does not set out its validity period or the fee. Treat it as something to renew whenever your underlying documents (especially tax clearance) are renewed, and check the date on it before every bid.
Documents to prepare
The circular does not list documents, and the portal shows the current requirements when you register. Federal tenders commonly ask bidders to show the same compliance documents, so most firms prepare these before starting:
| Document | Issued by |
|---|---|
| Certificate of incorporation and status report | Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) |
| Tax clearance certificate (TCC), last three years | Nigeria Revenue Service (formerly FIRS) |
| PenCom compliance certificate | National Pension Commission |
| ITF compliance certificate | Industrial Training Fund |
| NSITF compliance certificate | Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund |
Depending on the work, a tender may also ask for evidence of National Housing Fund remittance (employers deduct 2.5% of basic salary for the Fund under the NHF Act 1992, according to LawCare Nigeria), professional body registration, audited accounts, bank reference letters and evidence of similar past jobs. Our explainer on NHF, NSITF and ITF sets out who must pay each.
Steps
- Get your CAC records in order: directors, shareholders and registered address should match what you will enter.
- Collect current certificates (TCC, PenCom, ITF, NSITF) as clear scans. Expired certificates are the most common reason for delay.
- Go to the BPP contractors database (the circular gives the address as federalcontractors.bpp.ng, linked from the BPP website).
- Create an account in the company's name with an email address the company controls, not a staff member's personal email.
- Enter the company's details, categories of work and upload the documents the portal requests.
- Pay any fee the portal shows, through the payment channel it gives.
- Download the IRR once it is generated and keep it with your tender documents.
Worked example
Example only. A Lagos IT services firm sees a federal ministry tender for network maintenance. Its TCC expires in two weeks and its NSITF certificate is a year out of date. It renews both first, then updates its BPP record, generates a fresh IRR dated after the renewals, and submits that with its bid. Had it uploaded the older documents, the IRR would have reflected them.
Common reasons a bid fails on registration
- IRR older than the certificates
- If you renewed your TCC or pension certificate after generating the IRR, regenerate it so the report reflects current documents.
- Name mismatch
- "ABC Nigeria Ltd" on one certificate and "ABC Nig. Limited" on another can trigger queries. Use the CAC name everywhere.
- Wrong category
- Register for the categories of work you actually bid for (works, goods, consultancy or services); a mismatch can make you ineligible.
- Uploading poor scans
- Illegible or cropped documents are often returned. Scan in colour at a readable resolution.
- Missing tender-specific items
- The IRR does not replace documents a specific tender asks for, such as a bid security or a sworn affidavit of non-bankruptcy.
Keeping the record current
Treat BPP registration as a living record rather than a one-off. Most of the certificates behind it are annual, so the registration is only as current as your last renewal. A simple calendar of expiry dates for the TCC, PenCom, ITF and NSITF certificates, with renewals started a month before each, avoids the last-minute rush when a tender is advertised with a short deadline. When directors or the registered address change at CAC, update the BPP record too, so the IRR and your CAC status report tell the same story.
What to check first
- Whether the tender is federal (BPP) or state; states run their own procurement agencies and contractor registers.
- The tender's own list of mandatory documents, which can go beyond the BPP database.
- That company names, RC number and TIN match across every certificate.
- The IRR date and any expiry stated on it.
Where Pryme fits
Government contractors need clean records of payments and receipts. A Pryme Business Account comes with invoicing, and the Compliance agent can prepare reminders for certificate renewals for a person to approve.
Questions people ask
How do I register my company with BPP?
Register on the BPP national contractors database online, upload the documents the portal requests and pay any fee it shows. The system then issues an Interim Registration Report (IRR) to attach to bids.
What is IRR in BPP registration?
The Interim Registration Report is the evidence of registration on BPP's database that federal MDAs ask bidders to submit, under a 2014 SGF circular.
How much is BPP registration?
The 2014 circular does not state a fee. The portal shows any current charge during registration; pay only through the channel it gives.
Do I need BPP registration for state government contracts?
BPP covers federal procurement. States run their own procurement bodies and registers, so check the state's requirements.
Sources
- OSGF circular SGF/50/S.52/II: national database of federal contractors (Dec 2014) · accessed Oct 2026
- LawCare Nigeria: overview of the National Housing Fund scheme (17 Oct 2024) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.