ICRC DG Seeks Regional PPP Alliance to Unlock Private Capital for West Africa’s Infrastructure

West African nations can no longer rely solely on public funds to finance essential infrastructure, according to Dr. Jobson Ewalefoh, Director General of Nigeria's Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC). Speaking at the ECOWAS Infrastructure Forum in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Ewalefoh urged countries in the sub-region to embrace Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) as the most effective strategy to address the significant infrastructure deficit.

The widening gap between infrastructure needs and available public resources necessitates the mobilization of private capital and expertise. Ewalefoh emphasized the importance of creating transparent regulatory frameworks and developing bankable projects that can attract long-term private investment. He described PPPs as a practical alternative to traditional procurement, enabling governments to leverage private sector financing, innovation, and risk-sharing to accelerate project delivery.

Ewalefoh also advocated for the increased use of well-regulated unsolicited PPP proposals. These initiatives, he explained, provide an additional pipeline for infrastructure projects without replacing conventional procurement. Unsolicited proposals allow private investors to identify opportunities, finance project development at their own expense, and bear the associated risks, thereby reducing fiscal pressure on governments. This approach is particularly valuable when public resources are insufficient for project preparation.

"An unsolicited proposal is a complementary proposal. We simply do not have enough public resources to develop every project through the solicited route. What we have done is to pragmatically transfer that responsibility and the associated risks of project development to the private sector," Ewalefoh stated. He assured that privately initiated projects undergo the same rigorous appraisal and approval processes as government-sponsored PPP projects to ensure transparency and value for money. Nigeria's experience, he noted, includes strengthening its PPP framework with clear eligibility requirements, structured governance, the Swiss Challenge procurement model, and performance bonds to ensure the viability of proposals.

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An unsolicited proposal is a complementary proposal. We simply do not have enough public resources to develop every project through the solicited route. What we have done is to pragmatically transfer that responsibility and the associated risks of project development to the private sector.