From Idu Jude, Abuja
The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) has issued a set of guidelines to govern the development and implementation of all Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects in Nigeria, in line with a presidential directive.
The Commission, in a statement over the weekend, highlighted that the directive is a decisive move to overhaul Nigeria’s infrastructure delivery processes through PPPs.
The new framework, released under the statutory powers conferred on the Commission by the ICRC Establishment Act, 2005, and in compliance with the presidential directive, was formally unveiled during a high-level stakeholders’ engagement with representatives from all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government involved in PPPs.
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According to the statement, the Director General of the ICRC, Dr. Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, while presenting the guidelines, took stakeholders through each section, responding to questions and clarifying points to ensure clear understanding.
Dr. Ewalefoh stressed: “These rules establish a definitive framework for the conception, development, and execution of PPP projects in Nigeria. They decentralize project approvals to empower MDAs for faster delivery while safeguarding the ICRC’s role as the regulator of PPPs in Nigeria.
“Every PPP project, regardless of sector, scale, or origin, must strictly comply with these provisions. Every project shall be subjected to our due diligence and compliance requirements.”
He re-emphasized the role of the ICRC as a regulator of PPPs and not an operator or grantor of projects and informed participants that the Commission will continually facilitate and coordinate negotiations between MDAs and private proponents to ensure that the terms and conditions of agreements are fair to all parties and implementable.
He underscored that the Presidency’s decision to delegate greater approval authority to MDAs, with the ICRC regulating the process, also comes with heightened accountability and zero tolerance for non-compliance.
The ICRC reaffirmed its commitment to collaborate with MDAs, private investors, financiers, and development partners to reposition Nigeria as the continent’s leading destination for bankable and transformative PPP projects.
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