The Director General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Dr. Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, has clarified that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has not cancelled any Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement since assuming office in May 2023.
Speaking at the Nigeria Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Summit 2025 in Abuja, Ewalefoh addressed claims that the federal government was terminating PPP contracts.
“When somebody said PPP contracts are being cancelled… President Bola Tinubu has not cancelled any PPP contracts since he became President of this country.
“What we have been doing is to renegotiate some of the contracts in view of the present realities,” Ewalefoh stated.
Embracing Imperfection: The Evolving Nature of PPPs
The DG explained that PPP contracts are dynamic and should be seen as “living documents” that require continuous negotiation.
“Even the ones that attempts were made to cancel, he [President Tinubu] has directed them back to us to find a way to make them work. And that is the spirit of PPP. It’s a partnership,” he added.
The summit, themed “Unlocking Nigeria’s Potential: The Role of Public-Private Partnerships in Delivering the Renewed Hope Agenda,” gathered top policymakers, international investors, and infrastructure experts to explore strategies for effective collaboration between the public and private sectors.
At a key panel discussion focusing on rail and road infrastructure, Ewalefoh called for a shift in mindset away from pursuing “perfect” PPP concession agreements.
“It can never be perfect because the dynamics are not static; they evolve as time goes on,” he emphasised.
Highlighting infrastructure’s economic impact, he added, “Having a good road network will attract businesses, factories, and investments, making it an economic enabler. Nigeria needs to take this more seriously.”
Private Sector Management for Income-Generating Assets
Other panelists, including Rowland Ocholi of Bethlehem Rail, Nasir Alli, and Opuiyo Oforiokuma of Africa 50, underscored the relevance of PPPs to national development and called for robust planning and stakeholder engagement.
At another session focusing on global PPP case studies, Lamin Fatty, Director of PPP in Gambia, stated, “99.9% of all assets that generate income are not being managed effectively by the government… It’s better to hand them over to the private sector, which can manage them more effectively.”
The summit also examined successful models like the Lekki Deep Sea Port (Nigeria), Cape Verde Wind Power Project, and the Sene-Gambia Bridge, offering practical insights into risk management, feasibility, and sustainability for future PPP initiatives.
