Nigeria open for business, partnership – ICRC D-G

The Director-General (D–G), Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Dr. Jobson Ewelafor, has assured investors that Nigeria is open for business and partnership.
Ewelafor said this at the Nigeria Public Private Partnership (PPP) Summit hosted by the ICRC in Abuja yesterday.
The two-day summit has the theme “Unlocking Nigeria’s Potential: The Role of Public-Private Partnerships in Delivering the Renewed Hope Agenda.”
Ewelafor said the summit aimed to unlock new investment opportunities and drive economic growth, positioning Nigeria at the forefront of PPPs.”
“Let me assure our local and international investors: Nigeria is open for business — and more importantly, ready for partnership.
“With over 200 million people, a growing middle class, rich natural endowments, and an enormous infrastructure gap estimated at over 2.3 trillion dollars, the case for PPPs in Nigeria is not only compelling, it is urgent.
“At the ICRC, we are aligning regulation with facilitation, compliance with collaboration.
He said the ICRC was committed to ensuring that every PPP transaction was not just legally sound, but economically viable and socially impactful.
“The Commission stands ready to walk this journey with all partners — from project conceptualisation to financial close and beyond.”
Ewelafor stated that this was made possible with the full support of President Bola Tinubu, who tasked the commission with accelerating investment in national infrastructure through the innovative mobilisation of private-sector funding.
He said President Tinubu had taken deliberate steps to strengthen the ICRC, endorsing streamlined processes that enhance the commission’s ability to deliver PPPs faster and more efficiently.
“In 2024, he directed that all MDAs must comply strictly with the ICRC Act and Guidelines in all PPP transactions, a clear statement of his commitment to rule-based, transparent infrastructure development.