President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a major reform that decentralises the approval process for Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects, empowering Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to independently clear smaller-scale projects. The move is designed to accelerate infrastructure development and attract more private sector investment.

 

Previously, all PPP projects, regardless of value, required Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval—often causing delays. Under the new framework, Parastatals and Agencies can now approve projects valued below ₦10 billion, while Ministries can independently handle those under ₦20 billion. These decisions will be managed through newly constituted Project Approval Boards (PABs), guided by Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) rules.

 

Confirming the reform, ICRC Director General Dr. Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, through Acting Head of Media, Mr. Ifeanyi Nwoko, emphasized that all PPP projects must still be vetted and certified by the ICRC before approval, and must be entirely privately funded without reliance on government guarantees or the treasury.

 

“This approval is a game-changer,” Ewalefoh stated, noting that the shift away from a one-size-fits-all model would open new opportunities, especially in health, education, agriculture, and housing. Projects like rural diagnostic centres, student hostels, and affordable housing schemes are expected to benefit from the streamlined process.

 

The reform aligns with Tinubu’s broader public procurement overhaul, aimed at increasing efficiency, boosting job creation, and accelerating national development. At the 2025 Nigeria PPP Summit, President Tinubu described PPPs as vital to the country’s infrastructure revolution, affirming his commitment to strengthening the ICRC’s role.

 

Dr. Ewalefoh also pledged continued collaboration with key infrastructure bodies, including the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), and encouraged MDAs to embrace the new process in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.