‘Nigeria Needs PPPs To Tackle N19trn Infrastructure Deficit’

Minister of State for Works, Barrister Bello Mohammed Goronyo, has said that Nigeria cannot address its staggering infrastructure deficit—estimated at over N19 trillion—without embracing Public-Private Partnerships (PPP).

Speaking at the 2025 Nigeria PPP Summit held on June 17 and 18 in Abuja, the Minister emphasised that PPPs remain the only sustainable path toward bridging the country’s massive infrastructure gap, particularly in road development.

The summit, themed “Role of Public-Private Partnerships in Delivering the Renewed Hope Agenda,” was convened by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) to bring together policymakers, investors, and development partners.

Goronyo, who represented the Federal Ministry of Works, said the current administration inherited more than 2,600 road projects across the country, valued at over N19 trillion. With limited fiscal space and competing priorities, he noted, the federal budget alone cannot fund the completion of these critical projects.

“Nigeria has over 200,000km of roads, with about 35,000km under the purview of the Federal Government,” he said. “The sheer scale of work required cannot be shouldered by government funding alone. We must leverage partnerships with the private sector.”

The Minister highlighted ongoing PPP-driven road initiatives such as the 227.2km Akwanga-Lafia-Keffi corridor and the recently signed 127km Benin-Asaba highway concession, describing them as models of innovation and collaboration under the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI).

He also stressed the need for transparency and fairness in PPP agreements, warning that poorly negotiated concessions could amount to economic sabotage. “We cannot, in the name of PPP, mortgage our country by signing agreements that tend to favour concessionaires at the expense of national interest,” he cautioned.

Barrister Goronyo praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for identifying infrastructure as a key driver of economic growth, noting that the Renewed Hope Agenda offers a robust platform for transformational change in the sector.

The Summit featured panel sessions and technical discussions with stakeholders from across the public and private sectors, exploring strategies for infrastructure delivery, legal frameworks, investment incentives, and global best practices.

Industry leaders, investors, and development experts at the Summit agreed that if Nigeria is to unlock its full economic potential, PPPs must be deepened, streamlined, and supported by strong regulatory frameworks.