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Nigeria to Unveil New PPP Investment Pipeline as ICRC Targets Faster Infrastructure Delivery
Nigeria to Unveil New PPP Investment Pipeline as ICRC Targets Faster Infrastructure Delivery
By: Michael Mike
The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, Dr. Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, has announced plans by the Federal Government to unveil a new pipeline of eligible Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects aimed at attracting both local and international investors into Nigeria’s infrastructure sector.
Ewalefoh disclosed this on Wednesday while delivering a goodwill message at the 2026 Infrastructure Dialogue held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, warning that Nigeria’s widening infrastructure gap now stands at an alarming $2.3 trillion.
According to him, the country urgently requires innovative financing models and stronger private sector participation to address infrastructure deficits across transportation, energy, ICT, agriculture, aviation, and housing sectors.
He revealed that Nigeria currently requires about $100 billion annually for infrastructure development, while public spending accounts for less than 30 per cent of the funding requirement.
“Traditional procurement models and dwindling budgets are no longer enough. To bridge this gap, the mobilisation of private capital is not just an option — it is an absolute necessity,” Ewalefoh stated.
The ICRC boss explained that the Federal Government had strategically embraced Public-Private Partnerships as a practical solution to bridge the huge financing shortfall, describing PPPs as critical tools for infrastructure renewal, economic growth, and poverty reduction.
He said the 2026 Infrastructure Dialogue, organised by Deutsche Partners Holding and its partners, was particularly important because it focused on moving “from diagnosis to execution” by exploring sustainable financing mechanisms capable of unlocking long-term capital for infrastructure delivery.
According to him, discussions around the role of Development Finance Institutions, Sukuk financing, green bonds, and pension assets are crucial to securing affordable infrastructure funding.
Ewalefoh stressed that the ICRC remained committed to strengthening Nigeria’s PPP ecosystem through reforms designed to improve investor confidence, build bankable project pipelines, and accelerate project implementation.
He recalled that during the 2025 Nigeria PPP Summit hosted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stakeholders reaffirmed the central role of PPPs in delivering the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda and addressing Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit over the next 23 years.
The ICRC Director-General further disclosed that the commission introduced revised PPP guidelines in August 2025 following presidential approval to improve transparency, accelerate infrastructure delivery, and attract private capital.
Under the new framework, ministries can now approve PPP projects worth up to ₦20 billion, while agencies and parastatals can approve projects up to ₦10 billion without seeking Federal Executive Council approval.
Projects above the thresholds or involving multiple agencies would still require FEC approval.
According to Ewalefoh, the decentralisation of approval powers is already helping Ministries, Departments and Agencies deliver projects faster while maintaining transparency and accountability.
He also announced that the commission, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice and PPP experts, plans to unveil a model PPP agreement in June 2026 aimed at shortening transaction timelines and accelerating commercial and financial closure of projects.
“In order to provide relevant guidance to the investing community, we intend to publish in the near future a pipeline of eligible projects for investments in Nigeria’s PPP sphere,” he added.
Ewalefoh expressed optimism that the dialogue would strengthen collaboration between government, investors, development finance institutions, and the private sector toward building sustainable economic resilience and infrastructure-driven growth in Nigeria.
Nigeria to Unveil New PPP Investment Pipeline as ICRC Targets Faster Infrastructure Delivery
Farmer Injured in Machete Attack by Herder in Plateau
By Zagazola Makama
A farmer, Mr Charles Tuwan, has sustained machete injuries following an alleged attack by a herder during a dispute over grazing on farmland in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The incident occurred at about 6:53 p.m. on August 23, 2026, at Tekas Community, where troops of Sector 8, Operation ENDURING PEACE, operating under Operation HARD KNOCK, responded to a report of an assault.
Security sources said the dispute reportedly started after the farmer refused to allow the herder to graze cattle on his farmland.
On arrival at the scene, the troops found Tuwan with machete cuts sustained during the attack.
The alleged attacker, identified as Abdullahi Saleh, had reportedly fled the area with his cattle before the arrival of the troops.
The injured farmer was evacuated to Pankshin General Hospital for medical attention.
Troops are currently intensifying efforts to locate and arrest the suspect for investigation and possible prosecution.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between farming and herding communities in parts of Plateau State, underscoring the need for early intervention in disputes over farmland and grazing to prevent isolated incidents from escalating into wider communal violence.
Farmer Injured in Machete Attack by Herder in Plateau
Unidentified Corpse with Gunshot Wound Found Along Road in Plateau
By Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE have recovered the corpse of an unidentified person bearing a gunshot wound along a roadside in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The corpse was discovered at about 9:30 p.m. on August 23, 2026, along the Farin Lamba axis, close to the Primary Health Centre in Riyom.
Troops of Sector 6, Operation ENDURING PEACE, responded to the report and found the body with an apparent gunshot wound to the stomach.
However, security personnel observed that there were no visible traces of blood or spent ammunition casings around the scene.
The circumstances led investigators to suspect that the body may have been transported from another location and dumped at the scene.
The corpse was evacuated to the Primary Health Centre mortuary in Riyom, while the youth leader of Tahoss Community was contacted to assist in identifying the deceased.
Troops have continued to dominate the general area as investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death and possible identity of the victim continues.
Unidentified Corpse with Gunshot Wound Found Along Road in Plateau
Troops Rescue Kidnap Victim, Recover AK-47 Rifle After Gun Battle in Kogi
By Zagazola Makama
Troops operating under the Joint Security operation in the 2 Division Area of Responsibility have rescued a 28-year-old kidnap victim and recovered an AK-47 rifle following a gun battle with suspected kidnappers in Kogi State.
The operation, according to security sources, took place at about 0300 hours on August 24, 2026, when troops from Patrol Base Obajana intercepted the victim, identified as Hussaini Shehu.
Preliminary questioning revealed that Shehu had allegedly been abducted from the Abaji general area of the Federal Capital Territory about five days earlier.
The rescued victim subsequently led the troops to the location where he had been held captive.
Security sources said the troops made contact with the suspected kidnappers and engaged them in a firefight, forcing the criminals to abandon an AK-47 rifle and flee into the surrounding area.
The weapon was recovered by the troops, while the victim was evacuated to the military medical centre for medical attention.
Security forces have continued operations in the area to track the fleeing kidnappers and prevent them from regrouping.
The latest operation underscores the importance of intelligence-led patrols and rapid exploitation of information obtained from rescued victims in disrupting kidnapping networks operating across the FCT-Kogi corridor.
Troops Rescue Kidnap Victim, Recover AK-47 Rifle After Gun Battle in Kogi
Farmer Injured in Machete Attack by Herder in Plateau
Unidentified Corpse with Gunshot Wound Found Along Road in Plateau
Troops Rescue Kidnap Victim, Recover AK-47 Rifle After Gun Battle in Kogi
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