Business
President Tinubu empowers ICRC to approve PPP projects Valued below N10-20bn for MDAs
“Under the new directive, PPP projects valued below ₦10 billion for Parastatals/Agencies and ₦20 billion for Ministries will now be approved by respective Project Approval Boards (PABs) that will be constituted under ICRC guidelines and regulations.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has empowered the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) to implement a more efficient and better streamlined Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project delivery process by approving PPP thresholds for Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
The approval was granted during the just-concluded Nigeria PPP Summit 2025, where President Tinubu declared that his administration was strengthening the ICRC as the “engine room of Nigeria’s infrastructure revolution,” noting that PPPs would be pivotal in driving transformative development across the country.
Until now, all PPP projects—regardless of size—were subjected to Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval, resulting in extended processes and limiting the participation of MDAs with small and mid-scale projects.
The Director General of the ICRC, Dr Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, who disclosed the presidential approval, said: that the new policy decentralizes the approval process, allowing MDAs to approve projects below specified thresholds under ICRC guideline, thereby supporting all scale of projects and encouraging broader private sector investment in PPPs.
“Under the new directive, PPP projects valued below ₦10 billion for Parastatals/Agencies and ₦20 billion for Ministries will now be approved by respective Project Approval Boards (PABs) that will be constituted under ICRC guidelines and regulations.
Only projects exceeding these thresholds—or those involving multiple Ministries and requiring inter-agency coordination—will require FEC approval.
“Importantly, all such projects must be entirely privately funded, with no government guarantees or financial commitments from the treasury.
Notwithstanding the new thresholds, every PPP project must be submitted to the ICRC for review and certification.
The ICRC must issue certificates of compliance before any PPP project can be approved by the PAB and other approving bodies,” he said.
Dr Ewalefoh explained that this framework marks a shift from the previously adopted one-size-fits-all approach, to a more dynamic and scale-sensitive model that will unlock low-value but high-impact projects. “This approval is a game-changer, especially for sectors like health, education, agriculture, and housing.
We expect to see private sector- led investments in projects like rural diagnostic medical centers, construction of classroom blocks, student hostel and delivery of affordable housing schemes across the country—with less bureaucratic requirements under the new adopted process.” he added.
He emphasized that the new framework aligns with President Tinubu’s broader public procurement reforms, ensuring harmony across the government’s financial and investment systems.
“By decentralizing approvals, the government is supporting and unlocking investments opportunities through improved capital inflows, job creation, and faster project delivery—exactly what we need in this current economic climate.”
Dr. Ewalefoh stated that the ICRC will continue to promote, guide, facilitate and regulate the PPP ecosystem in the country, while collaborating with other agencies in the infrastructure ecosystem including the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) among others.
He enjoined MDAs as project owners and grantors to take advantage of the approved threshold and the new guidelines that will be issued by the Commission.
MDAs are encouraged to embrace the utilization of PPPs for the delivery of critical infrastructure in delivering on the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President.
Business
Dangote Refinery to plough back N1.7trn into economy
From August 15, Dangote will begin the direct delivery of petrol and diesel to filling stations, industrial facilities, and other high-volume consumers.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has earmarked to plough back N1.7 trillion gross annual savings from domestic fuel distributions into the economy.
In a statement, the company said that the daily distributions of 65 million litres of petrol, diesel and Jet AI and CNG nationwide would bolster the government’s presidential CNG initiative, and every key actors in the distributions value chains.
In a breakdown of the refinery’s benefits to all Nigerians, it emphasized that the familiar narrative of perennial fuel scarcity and adulterated fuel imports by marketers is being replaced by ” no more fuel scarcity, and consistent supply of high quality petroleum products from the refinery.
It added that the refinery’s operations will likely cut down the nation’s inflation from the current 33 percent to 23 percent, while pushing the GDP growth rate from 2 percent to 3.4 percent.
Regarding the over N720 billion it was investing on deploying 4,000 Compressed Natural Gas-powered trucks for the nationwide distribution of petroleum products, the company said that it will significantly benefit over 42 million Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by reducing energy costs and enhancing profitability.
The initiative, which eliminates transportation costs for fuel marketers and large-scale consumers, is expected to help reduce pump prices and inflation.
From August 15, Dangote will begin the direct delivery of petrol and diesel to filling stations, industrial facilities, and other high-volume consumers, the company said.
According to the statement from the refinery, it aims to meet Nigeria’s daily consumption of 65 million litres of refined petroleum products.
This includes 45 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) or petrol, 15 million litres of diesel, and 5 million litres of aviation fuel.
The initiative is also expected to resuscitate dormant filling stations, fostering job creation in the process.
Over 15,000 direct jobs are projected to be created across the logistics chain, including drivers, station managers, and attendants at the CNG stations.
Business
George Elombi is Afreximbank’s new president
He succeeds Benedict Oramah, a professor, who has served as President and Chairman of the Board of Directors since 2015, and who will be stepping down in September.
The shareholders of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) have appointed George Elombi as the next President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the continental financial institution.
He becomes the fourth president to lead the bank since its establishment in 1993.
His appointment was one of the key decisions of the 32nd Afreximbank group annual meetings and associated events held in Abuja, Nigeria, from 25 to 28 June, with the formal annual general meeting of shareholders taking place on Saturday.
He succeeds Benedict Oramah, a professor, who has served as President and Chairman of the Board of Directors since 2015, and who will be stepping down in September.
A Cameroonian national, Mr Elombi has been with Afreximbank since 1996, as a Legal Officer.
He rose through the ranks to become Executive Vice President, Governance, Legal and Corporate Services.
Over his nearly three decades at the bank, he has served as director and executive secretary (2010–2015); deputy director, legal services / executive secretary (2008–2010); chief legal officer (2003–2008); and senior legal officer (2001–2003).
Business
NRS Chair: New tax laws won’t be implemented until January
According to Adedeji, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS by the signing of the bills into Law is now the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), explaining that the new law now defines the NRS’s expanded mandates…
•President Bola Tinubu shake hands with NRS Chairman, Zach Adedeji.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (formerly FIRS), Zach Adedeji, has disclosed that the implementation of the newly signed four tax fiscal reform laws will commence by January 1st, 2026.
Adedeji told State House correspondents shortly after the President signed the bills into law, the previous day.
Adedeji said that the modalities will be put in place ahead of the implementation.
Adedeji further explained that the six-month period between the enactment of the new fiscal laws is designed to give ample time to those saddled with the implementation to carefully prepare and ensure that all Nigerians are adequately sensitised.
According to Adedeji, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS by the signing of the bills into Law is now the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), explaining that the new law now defines the NRS’s expanded mandate, including non-tax revenue collection, and lays out transparency, accountability, and efficiency mechanisms.
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