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
Naira Exchange Rates Thursday July 2, 2026
BLACK MARKET RATES
US DOLLAR (USD) Buy ₦1, 395 Sell ₦1, 403
GREAT BRITISH POUND (GBP) Buy ₦1,845 Sell: ₦1,865
EURO (EUR) Buy ₦1, 585 Sell ₦1,600
CANADIAN DOLLAR (CAD) Buy ₦1,030 Sell ₦1,100
SOUTH AFRICAN RAND (ZAR) Buy ₦75 Sell ₦90
UAE DIRHAM Buy ₦350 Sell ₦370CHINESE YUAN Buy ₦180 Sell ₦200
GHANA CEDI (GHS) Buy ₦95 Sell ₦110
WEST AFRICAN CFA Buy ₦2, 380 Sell ₦2, 460
CENTRAL AFRICAN CFA Buy ₦2, 220 Sell 2,300
AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR Buy ₦800 Sell ₦900
CBN OFFICIAL EXCHANGE RATES
US DOLLAR (USD) ₦1,372.41
GREAT BRITISH POUND (GBP) ₦1,821.73
EURO (EUR) ₦1,565.37
SWISS FRANC (CHF) ₦1,695.42
JAPANESE YEN (JPN) ₦8.45
CHINESE YUAN (CNY) ₦201.98
WEST AFRICAN CFA (XOF) ₦2.40
WEST AFRICAN UNITACCOUNT (WAUA) ₦1,870. 31
SAUDI RIYAL (SAR) ₦365.45
SOUTH AFRICAN RAND (ZAR) ₦83.80
Business
CBN revokes 46 MFBs’ licences
According to the revocation order, the action became necessary because of one or more of: insufficient assets to meet liabilities; closure of operations without the CBN approval; and inactivity and cessation of financial intermediation.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has revoked the operating licences of 46 Microfinance Banks (MFBs).
CBN’s Ag. Director of Communications, Mrs. Hakama Sidi-Ali disclosed that the revocation becomes effective today.
She emphasised that the revocation was in accordance with its powers under Sections 12 and 13 of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA), 2020.
“The revocation was approved by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. OlayemiCardoso, following the banks’ failure to meet the regulatory requirements for continued operation as licensed financial institutions,” she said.
According to the revocation order, the action became necessary because of one or more of: insufficient assets to meet liabilities; closure of operations without the CBN approval; and inactivity and cessation of financial intermediation.
Others were: failure to commence operations within 12 months of licence approval, and failure to maintain minimum capital funds unimpaired by losses.
Business
Naira Exchange Rates Wednesday July 1, 2026
BLACK MARKET RATES
US DOLLAR (USD) Buy ₦1, 395 Sell ₦1, 405
GREAT BRITISH POUND (GBP) Buy ₦1,850 Sell: ₦1,870
EURO (EUR) Buy ₦1, 580 Sell ₦1,600
CANADIAN DOLLAR (CAD) Buy ₦1,030 Sell ₦1,100
SOUTH AFRICAN RAND (ZAR) Buy ₦75 Sell ₦90
UAE DIRHAM Buy ₦350 Sell ₦370
CHINESE YUAN Buy ₦180 Sell ₦200
GHANA CEDI (GHS) Buy ₦95 Sell ₦110
WEST AFRICAN CFA Buy ₦2, 380 Sell ₦2, 460
CENTRAL AFRICAN CFA Buy ₦2, 220 Sell 2,300
AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR Buy ₦800 Sell ₦900
CBN OFFICIAL EXCHANGE RATES
US DOLLAR (USD) ₦1,370. 68
GREAT BRITISH POUND (GBP) ₦1,825.05
EURO (EUR) ₦1,572.98
SWISS FRANC (CHF) ₦1,705.00
JAPANESE YEN (JPN) ₦8.50
CHINESE YUAN (CNY) ₦203. 32
WEST AFRICAN CFA (XOF) ₦2.41
WEST AFRICAN UNIT ACCOUNT (WAUA) ₦1,875. 81
SAUDI RIYAL (SAR) ₦367.19
SOUTH AFRICAN RAND (ZAR) ₦84.12
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