Nigeria’s infrastructure landscape provides opportunity for investors to create value – FG

The federal government has said that that it needs committed partners that would help Nigeria build it infrastructure to world class standard.

Speaking as the guest of honour at the opening ceremony of the Nigerian Public-Private Partnership Summit 2025, Tuesday in Abuja, President Bola Tinubu noted that the country’s infrastructure landscape presents immense opportunity for private sector to create value.

The summit, themed “Unlocking Nigeria’s Potential: The Role of Public-Private Partnerships in Delivering the Renewed Hope Agenda,”

In his address on the ‘’The Future Is a Shared Responsibility’, The President, who was represented by Vice President Kassim Shettima, insisted that what Nigeria needs is long-term public-private partnerships to address its infrastructure gap referencing the National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan 2020-2043, which aims to increase infrastructure investment from 30 percent to 35 per cent by 2043.

“To our private sector partners, we ask not just for capital, but for commitment. Nigeria offers scale, demand, and returns like no other African market. But we need more than investment. We need innovation, we need efficiency, and above all, we need integrity. I urge you to look beyond the risks and recognise the immense opportunity to shape a nation that is not just rising, but ready.

“The old model of public-only infrastructure funding is no longer sustainable. Our national aspirations far exceed what public budgets alone can deliver. That is why we must innovate, and why we must work together. 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.

“The National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan (2020 to 2043) remains our blueprint. It is our compass to raise infrastructure stock from the current 30 to 35 percent of GDP to at least 70 percent by the year 2043. But blueprints do not build roads. Policies alone do not generate megawatts. These goals require collective action. And that is the focus of my administration.

“When we took charge over two years ago, we knew that a functional relationship between the public and private sectors would be the magic wand of transformation. That is what we have committed to, and that is what we are doing. We have strengthened the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission and enhanced its capacity to regulate, superintend, and de-risk PPP transactions. We are determined to deliver infrastructure that is both sustainable and inclusive,” the President said.

He further said that with recent reforms recent economic reforms, including subsidy removal and foreign exchange liberalization, the country’s investment environment was gradually on the path of stability.

The expressing optimism about Nigeria’s readiness for business and development, emphasizing significant progress and the participation of 230 million Nigerians.

“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 to enable swift implementation. We do this because we know that what matters to the average Nigerian is not promises, but power in their homes, roads to their farms, access to clean water, modern hospitals, and quality schools.

“We must build. We must deliver. And we must do it together.

“Distinguished participants, Nigeria does not lack potential. What we have lacked, at times, is alignment of purpose and the courage to act decisively. Today, let us chart a new path, not just as government and investors, but as partners in nation-building.

“Let this summit be remembered not for fine speeches, but for bankable projects, signed deals, and enduring progress.

In his welcome address, the Director General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Dr. Jobson Ewalefoh, said Nigeria needs a significant amount of Public Private Partnerships (PPP) to bridge its infrastructure gap.

The ICRC Director General, added that the federal government is focused on infrastructure development as it is crucial to economic development and growth.

He said, “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 — 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. We are committed to ensuring that every PPP transaction is not just legally sound, but economically viable and socially impactful. The Commission stands ready to walk this journey with all partners — from project conceptualization to financial close and beyond.

“And this we have done with the full backing of Mr. President and his clear charge to the ICRC to ensure the acceleration of investment in national infrastructure through the innovative mobilization of private-sector funding.

“President Tinubu has taken deliberate steps to strengthen the ICRC, endorsing streamlined processes that enhance our 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.

“He has preserved the integrity of our regulatory mandate, never interfering with our processes. Instead, he routinely directs prospective investors and partners to engage directly with the ICRC — reinforcing our role as the statutory gateway for all federal PPPs.”