Nigeria’s PPP model adopted across Africa — ICRC

The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) has announced that Nigeria's domestic customs modernization model will soon be replicated across Africa as part of a $3.1 billion project to upgrade customs systems throughout the continent. This development, as confirmed by the ICRC's acting Head of Media and Publicity Ifeanyi Nwoko in a statement on Tuesday, underscores the validation of Nigeria's public-private partnership (PPP) framework.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat has inked a 20-year, $3.1 billion concession agreement with Bergmans Security Consultants and Supplies Limited, the parent company of the Trade Modernization Project, to deploy the AfCFTA Customs Modernization Project across member states.

Dr. Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, the Director-General of the ICRC, elaborated on the significance of Nigeria's PPP model, stating that it is setting a precedent for Africa's trade future. The indigenous solution developed for the Nigeria Customs Service is now being adopted as the template for this continent-wide initiative. Ewalefoh emphasized that Nigeria could transition from being a consumer of technology to becoming an exporter of indigenous solutions, highlighting the model's potential to deliver large-scale infrastructure and technology projects without burdening government finances.

He further noted that this adoption is a testament to the effectiveness of properly structured PPP arrangements in achieving ambitious project goals.

The ICRC's assessment, conducted after a recent monitoring and compliance visit to the Trade Modernization Project, revealed progress on the Unified Customs Management System (B'Odogwu), which was developed under the PPP arrangement. The AfCFTA Secretary-General, Wamkele Mene, acknowledged that the Nigerian experience, particularly the success of the customs modernization program, instilled confidence in the continental body to replicate the model across Africa.

The ICRC pointed out that the Trade Modernization Project is part of a broader portfolio of PPP projects showcasing how private capital can support infrastructure development in Nigeria. Notably, the Lekki Deep Sea Port serves as another exemplar of a major infrastructure project realized through a concession arrangement involving private investment.

The commission underlined the importance of such projects in Nigeria's ambition to achieve a $1 trillion economy under the Renewed Hope Development Plan 2026-2030, which advocates for substantial private-sector participation in financing infrastructure and economic development.