In a recent discourse at the Fourth Quarter Public-Private Partnership Units Consultative Forum (3PUCF) Meeting in Abuja, Mr. Michael Ohiani, Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), unveiled strategic plans to fortify Nigeria’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) landscape in 2024.
The forum, sponsored by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), served as a collaborative platform for PPP departments across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), fostering the exchange of ideas and experiences aimed at propelling economic growth within Nigeria.
Ohiani highlighted the commission’s achievements in the final quarter of 2023, citing the issuance of Outline and Full Business Case Compliance Certificates for key PPP projects from various MDAs. Noteworthy among these were the Development of Commercial Duplexes and Lock-up Shops in Kano, the Auto Gas Project across geopolitical zones, and the National Transport Data Bank and other Integrated Technologies Project.
He underscored the commitment to building PPP capacity across MDAs and practitioners through the Nigeria Institute of Infrastructure and Public-Private Partnership, emphasizing the institute’s success in delivering 13 training courses throughout the year, including an international training session held in Tanzania.
Looking ahead to 2024, Ohiani called for fresh ideas to further fortify Nigeria’s PPP architecture, encouraging forum members to reflect on their mandates and contribute to the sector’s growth.
Dr. Armstrong Katang, Chief Executive Officer of MOFI, echoed the importance of PPP in addressing Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit, emphasizing that the government alone could not meet these challenges. Represented by Kemi Owonubi, Executive Director, MOFI, Katang stressed MOFI’s mandate to optimize the value of Federal Government assets and engage in strategic partnerships with the public and private sectors.
The partnership between ICRC and MOFI, Katang noted, is poised to maximize the value of federal government-owned assets, contributing to overall economic development for the benefit of both the government and the Nigerian people.
As Nigeria prepares for 2024, the ICRC’s commitment and collaborative efforts with key stakeholders signal a promising trajectory for advancing PPP and addressing critical infrastructure needs in the nation.
