President Tinubu has approved decentralised PPP Policy to Fast-Track Infrastructure Projects under ₦20 billion.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a major policy shift to accelerate infrastructure development across Nigeria by decentralising the approval process for Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects under ₦20 billion.
Under the new directive, the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) can independently approve PPP projects below the ₦20 billion threshold without seeking Federal Executive Council (FEC) clearance. Ministries can now handle projects below ₦20 billion, while agencies and parastatals are authorised to approve those under ₦10 billion through their respective Project Approval Boards (PABs).
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The policy aims to reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks, enhance project delivery timelines, and boost private sector participation in Nigeria’s infrastructure landscape.
Director-General of the ICRC, Dr. Jobson Ewalefoh, announced the development in a statement issued Sunday by the commission’s Acting Head of Media and Publicity, Ifeanyi Nwoko, and reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
According to Ewalefoh, the new framework empowers Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to fast-track small and mid-scale projects that previously suffered delays due to protracted approval processes.
“President Bola Tinubu has empowered the ICRC to streamline the PPP approval process and support all scales of projects, especially in critical sectors like health, education, agriculture, and housing,” Ewalefoh said.
He added that the newly approved system introduces Project Approval Boards within MDAs, which will vet and approve projects in line with ICRC guidelines—provided the projects remain within the specified financial thresholds. However, PPP projects exceeding the thresholds or involving multiple MDAs will still require FEC approval.
Strict Conditions for PPPs
Ewalefoh emphasised that all PPP projects must be 100% privately funded and must not place any financial obligations or guarantees on the federal treasury. Additionally, regardless of project value, all proposals must be reviewed and certified by the ICRC before final approval is granted.
He noted that the policy particularly benefits sectors where smaller-scale projects such as rural diagnostic centres, school buildings, student hostels, and affordable housing schemes can have outsized impact.
“This is a game-changer for Nigeria’s infrastructure delivery,” Ewalefoh said, adding that the reform aligns with President Tinubu’s broader public procurement and governance agenda under the Renewed Hope programme.
Collaboration and Implementation
To ensure seamless execution and compliance, the ICRC will collaborate with key institutions, including the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).
The commission urged MDAs to adopt the revised thresholds and make full use of forthcoming implementation guidelines to attract investment and drive service delivery across Nigeria.
The move is expected to open new investment channels, create jobs, improve service delivery, and restore confidence in Nigeria’s public-private partnership framework amid prevailing economic challenges.
