President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is banking on a reformed, transparent and inclusive public-private partnership (PPP) framework to bridge Nigeria infrastructure gap estimated at $2.3 trillion.
He told his audience at the opening of the 2025 Nigeria Public-Private Partnership Summit in Abuja that Nigerians were eager to see the delivery of promises.
“What matters to the average Nigerian are not promises, but power in their homes, roads to their farms, access to clean water, modern hospitals and quality schools”, the President said yesterday at the summit which held at the State House Conference Centre.
He was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima. He restated his administration’s preparedness to fast-track approvals for viable infrastructure projects while ensuring ministries, departments and agencies work in close coordination for quick implementation.
He said: “The projects that emerge from this summit must not gather dust on paper or linger in bureaucratic limbo. We will fast-track approvals for viable projects. We will ensure coordination across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to enable swift implementation.”
In a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, the President stressed that real change will come not through lofty rhetorics or inflated investments, but through innovation, efficiency, and integrity.
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He urged private sector leaders to look beyond perceived risks and see the immense possibilities in Nigeria’s large, dynamic, and youthful economy.
The statement reads: “We are not looking for investors to carry burdens. We are offering opportunities to create value. We seek long-term partners who are ready to help us bridge our infrastructure gap with purpose and precision.”
According to the President, public funds had become inadequate for Nigeria’s infrastructure demands and therefore cannot be shouldered alone by the government.
Highlighting the progress made since assuming office in 2023, the President pointed to key reforms including the strengthening of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), the deregulation of the petroleum downstream sector, liberalisation of the foreign exchange regime, and renewed emphasis on revenue optimisation.
“We are streamlining bureaucratic bottlenecks and improving transparency in our project pipelines. We have aligned our processes with global best practices and investor expectations,” he added.
Tinubu challenged participants at the summit to come with tangible outcomes.
“Let this summit be remembered not for fine speeches, but for bankable projects, signed deals and enduring progress.”
Interior Minister Tunji Ojo lauded the ICRC for promoting transformational projects across various sectors, stating that Nigeria, under the Tinubu-Shettima administration, is fast reclaiming its place of pride on the global stage.
The ICRC Director-General of the ICRC, Dr. Jobson Ewalefoh, described the summit as a “rallying call for transformation,” bringing together stakeholders from government, private sector, development finance institutions, and civil society to align efforts and de-risk investments.
He said Nigeria is positioning itself not just as a participant but as a leader in the evolving global PPP space.
Ewalefoh said: “This summit brings together the finest minds from government, private investors, development partners, and civil society to co-create new frameworks, de-risk bankable projects, and strengthen our institutional alignment toward project delivery.”
International development partners also expressed support for Nigeria’s PPP reforms.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), through its Regional Director, Central Africa and Anglophone West Africa, Dahlia Khalifa, commended Nigeria’s commitment to dispute resolution and institutional reforms.
She reaffirmed the Corporation’s continued collaboration across key sectors to enhance the country’s development goals.
African Development Bank (AfDB) Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialisation, Solomon Quaynor, said the summit’s theme underlined that partnerships are no longer optional but essential.
The AfDB, he said, is already working with other partners on the Lagos-Abidjan Highway corridor project, a strategic link for boosting regional integration in West Africa.
“PPPs are complex long-term projects. They need to be designed properly and designed to survive different political administrations because by their very nature, they are long-term,” Quaynor said.
The Director and Global Head of Project Preparation at the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Zitto Alfayo, said Nigeria’s ongoing fiscal reforms and market liberalisation have improved the country’s attractiveness for private capital.
“With this clear demonstration of commitment from the Nigerian government, the onus is now on the private sector to drive the adoption of PPPs,” Alfayo said.
He disclosed that Afreximbank has already disbursed over $50 million into Nigeria’s economy across sectors such as energy, manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, and financial services.
At the high-level summit were: Governors Bassey Otu (Cross River); Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo); Jigawa State Deputy Governor Aminu Usman; Ministers Chief Uche Nnaji (Innovation, Science and Technology); Dr. Jumoke Oduwole (Industry, Trade and Investment); Hajiya Hannatu Musawa (Art, Culture and the Creative Economy); Senator Abubakar Kyari (Agriculture and Food Security) and Alhaji Idi Mukhtar Maiha (Livestock Development).
The Summit organized by the ICRC, is part of a broader effort by the Tinubu administration to bridge Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit by leveraging private capital, technical expertise, and innovation to deliver inclusive and sustainable development across all sectors of the economy.
