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.
BLACK MARKET RATES
US DOLLAR (USD) Buy ₦1,422 Sell ₦1,428
GREAT BRITISH POUND (GBP) Buy ₦1,885 Sell: ₦1,910
EURO (EUR) Buy ₦1,590 Sell ₦1,610
CANADIAN DOLLAR (CAD) Buy ₦1,020 Sell ₦1,080
SOUTH AFRICAN RAND (ZAR) Buy ₦75 Sell ₦90
UAE DIRHAM Buy ₦350 Sell ₦370 CHINESE YUAN Buy ₦190 Sell ₦205
GHANA CEDI (GHS) Buy ₦95 Sell ₦110
WEST AFRICAN CFA Buy ₦2, 300 Sell ₦2, 400
CENTRAL AFRICAN CFA Buy ₦2,150 Sell 2,250
AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR Buy ₦800 Sell ₦900
Commercial Bank Exchange Rates
Fidelity Bank
Currency Sell
USD / NGN ₦1370.00
GBP / NGN ₦1869.7
8EUR / NGN ₦1604.54
Sterling Bank
Currency Buy Sell
USD / NGN ₦1350.00 ₦1370.00
GBP / NGN ₦1803.95 ₦1871.77
EUR / NGN ₦1537.93 ₦1601.81
ZAR / NGN ₦82.28 ₦86.99
Official CBN Exchange Rates
US DOLLAR (USD) ₦1,364.90
GREAT BRITISH POUND (GBP) ₦1,842.61
EURO (EUR) ₦1,575..50
SWISS FRANC (CHF) ₦1,684.02
JAPANESE YEN (JPN) ₦8.57
CHINESE YUAN (CNY) ₦202.34
WEST AFRICAN CFA (XOF) ₦2. 40
WEST AFRICAN UNIT ACCOUNT (WAUA) ₦1,858.53SAUDI RIYAL (SAR) ₦363..60
SOUTH AFRICAN RAND (ZAR) ₦84.31
BLACK MARKET RATES
US Dollar (USD) Buy ₦1,423 Sell ₦1,428
Great British Pound (GBP) Buy ₦1,890 Sell: ₦1,910
EURO (EUR) Buy ₦1,600 Sell ₦1,620
Canadian Dollar (CAD) Buy ₦1,020 Sell ₦1,080
South African Rand (ZAR) Buy ₦75 Sell ₦90
UAE Dirham Buy ₦350 Sell ₦370
Chinese Yuan Buy ₦190 Sell ₦205
Ghana Cedi (GHS) Buy ₦95 Sell ₦110
West African CFA Buy ₦2, 300 Sell ₦2, 400
Central African CFA Buy ₦2,150 Sell 2,250
Australian Dollar Buy ₦800 Sell ₦900
Commercial Bank Exchange Rates
Fidelity Bank
Currency Sell
USD / NGN ₦1370.00
GBP / NGN ₦1869.78
EUR / NGN ₦1604.54
Sterling Bank
Currency Buy Sell
USD / NGN₦1350.00 ₦1370.00
GBP / NGN ₦1800.68 ₦1868.46
EUR / NGN ₦1539.16 ₦1603.07
ZAR / NGN ₦82.44 ₦87.16
Official CBN Exchange Rates
US Dollar (USD) ₦1,360. 14
Great British Pound (GBP) ₦1,838.50
EURO (EUR) ₦1,571. 10
Swiss Franc (CHF) ₦1,680.85
Japanese Yen (JPN) ₦8.56
Chinese Yuan (CNY) ₦201.61
West African CFA (XOF) ₦2. 40
West African Union Account (WAUA) ₦1,864.27
Saudi Riyal (SAR) ₦362.22
South African Rand (ZAR) ₦84.07
Business
NAICOM Revokes Nigeria Reinsurance’s Licence, Freezes Operations Over Capital Shortfall
Banire directed banks, financial institutions, policyholders and members of the public not to honour any instruction relating to the company except those issued by him or persons expressly authorised by him.
The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has revoked the operating licence of Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation for failing to meet the statutory Minimum Capital Requirement (MCR) and appointed Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Muiz Banire, SAN, as Receiver/Provisional Liquidator to wind up the company’s affairs.
The appointment took effect on August 3, 2026, following the cancellation of the company’s certificate of registration by the insurance regulator.
In a public notice dated August 4, 2026, Banire said NAICOM appointed him, in exercise of its statutory powers, to oversee the receivership and liquidation of Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation (RR-002).
In the notice, the company’s licence was revoked after it failed to comply with the prescribed Minimum Capital Requirement applicable to its category of licence within the stipulated compliance period, in accordance with the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025 and other extant laws, regulations and guidelines.
Banire said his appointment authorises him to immediately trace, recover, secure and take possession of the company’s assets, collate and settle its liabilities in line with the NIIRA 2025, liaise with NAICOM on matters relating to the liquidation, and submit periodic reports to the Commission.
Banire directed banks, financial institutions, policyholders and members of the public not to honour any instruction relating to the company except those issued by him or persons expressly authorised by him.
Source: ThisDay
Obasanjo faults court determining election winner , at GJF Democracy Dialogue
Naira Exchange Rates Wednesday, August 12
Nigerian Law school student dies after falling from hostel rooftop
Tech Expert, Zuckerberg trains with UFC champions, Adesanya, Alexander
Organ Trafficking: Ekweremadu bags 10 years in UK prison
SAINT OBI: Between his marriage and his death
-
News2 days agoTinubu Flags Off Eko, Marine Bridge Repairs
-
Crime1 day agoGovernor Mbah Commends Security Forces Over Arrest Of Affa Church Kidnappers
-
News2 days ago147 Lagos Structures to Face Impact From Coastal Highway
-
Crime2 days agoTroops Rescue 33 Hostages in Zamfara (Photos)
-
Crime2 days agoPolice Rescue 16 Kidnapped Victims in Kogi, Neutralise Armed Bandits (Video)
-
International1 day agoTrump cancels 175,000 visas for violations of public safety
-
Crime24 hours agoUK court jails Congolese for murder of Nigerian
-
Business1 day agoNaira Exchange Rates Tuesday, August 11