Dr. Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), has encouraged West African nations to utilize Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to tackle the region’s significant infrastructure shortfall. Speaking at the ECOWAS Infrastructure Forum in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, he highlighted that regional governments can no longer sustain the cost of developing essential roads, railways, and utilities solely through public funds.
Ewalefoh explained that PPPs offer a necessary alternative to traditional procurement by allowing the private sector to share the burden of financing, building, and maintaining public assets. By creating transparent regulatory environments, governments can attract the innovation and technical expertise of private firms. He further emphasized that unsolicited proposals—where private investors initiate project ideas at their own expense—serve as a vital tool to fill gaps where state capacity for project development is limited.
To ensure only viable, bankable projects proceed, Nigeria has implemented rigorous oversight mechanisms, including the Swiss Challenge method and mandatory performance bonds. Ewalefoh also urged development partners to increase funding for the early stages of project preparation, noting that this is often the missing link in attracting infrastructure investment. He concluded by proposing a regional network of PPP agencies to harmonize standards and foster cooperation across ECOWAS nations, ultimately strengthening the reliability of large-scale infrastructure projects across West Africa.
