ICRC Calls for Public-Private Partnerships in West Africa

Jobson Ewalefoh, the Director General of the Infrastructural Concessions Regulatory Commission (ICRC), emphasized the necessity for West African governments to embrace public-private partnerships (PPP) to address the region's critical infrastructure financing gap. Speaking at the ECOWAS Infrastructure Forum in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, Ewalefoh stated that relying solely on public resources is insufficient for delivering essential projects such as roads, railways, housing, and water systems, which are vital for economic growth.

The African Development Bank Group estimates that the region requires between $130 billion and $170 billion annually to meet its infrastructure needs, facing a financing shortfall of $68 billion to $108 billion each year. Ewalefoh noted that PPPs could mobilize long-term investments and improve infrastructure delivery, advocating for stronger cooperation among ECOWAS member states to establish a regional network for PPP institutions.

He also mentioned the need for Nigeria to strengthen its PPP framework to attract private investment.