ICRC's Dr Ewalefoh Advocates for People-Centric PPPs

Dr Jobson Ewalefoh, the Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC), stressed the necessity of placing citizens' welfare at the center of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects. He articulated that the success of infrastructure agreements should be evaluated based on their impact on people's lives rather than the strength of the agreements made during negotiations.

Ewalefoh shared insights from his extensive experience, having monitored over 100 concession agreements over two decades. He asserted that while financial viability is important, a project can still fail the public if it does not deliver meaningful value.

He identified various groups, including airport passengers, families needing healthcare, and communities requiring essential services, as the focus of PPP projects. Reflecting on his two years as ICRC Director-General, he noted that Nigeria's PPP framework is evolving, with improvements in project preparation and increased confidence for private investment.

However, he cautioned against losing sight of the fundamental purpose of infrastructure development.