President Bola Tinubu has approved a significant decentralisation in Nigeria’s public-private partnership (PPP) project approval process, aiming to boost efficiency and expand private sector participation in infrastructure development.
The new directive authorizes the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) to set approval thresholds allowing ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to internally approve PPP projects below certain financial limits, subject to ICRC certification and guidelines.
Under the revised framework, PPP projects valued below N10 billion for parastatals and N20 billion for ministries can now be approved by their respective project approval boards (PABs), eliminating the need for Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval for such projects. Only projects exceeding these thresholds or involving multiple MDAs will still require FEC clearance.
Jobson Ewalefoh, Director-General of the ICRC, announced the presidential directive in Abuja, describing the reform as “a game-changer for Nigeria’s infrastructure ecosystem.”
He explained that previously, all PPP projects, regardless of value, had to pass through the FEC, causing delays and limiting the ability of MDAs to participate effectively in project implementation.
Ewalefoh emphasized that all projects must be fully privately funded with no government guarantees or treasury commitments. The ICRC will continue to review and certify every PPP project before approval by PABs or other bodies.
“This reform aligns perfectly with President Tinubu’s broader agenda to overhaul public procurement and infrastructure financing in Nigeria,” Ewalefoh said.
He further noted that the decentralisation would accelerate delivery of “low-value but high-impact projects” in critical sectors including health, education, agriculture, and housing.
“With this new framework, private sector-led investments in rural diagnostic centres, school blocks, student hostels, and affordable housing will be delivered faster with less bureaucratic red tape,” he added.
The director-general described the shift as moving away from a “one-size-fits-all” model to a dynamic, scale-sensitive approach tailored to different project sizes and sectors.
“By decentralising approvals, the government is unlocking investment opportunities, encouraging capital inflows, creating jobs, and speeding up project delivery — essential in today’s economic environment,” Ewalefoh stated.
He assured that the ICRC will continue its role in promoting, facilitating, and regulating the PPP ecosystem, working closely with relevant agencies to ensure effective infrastructure development nationwide.
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