FG to fast-track project approvals, boost MDA coordination

Barbara Bako, Abuja

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has revealed that the federal government plans to fast-track approvals for viable projects and intensify coordination among Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure rapid implementation.

The President who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima revealed this at the 2025 Nigeria Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Summit held in Abuja on Tuesday.

“We will fast-track approvals for viable projects. We will ensure coordination across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to enable swift implementation,” the president said.

The President also issued a directive for all approved infrastructure projects to transition from planning to immediate, real-time execution and cautioned against any delays caused by bureaucratioc hurdles.

He elaborated that Nigerians anticipate concrete outcomes instead of empty assurances, emphasising the imperative to convert pledges into infrastructure that directly meets the daily needs of individuals.

“We do this because we know that what matters to the average Nigerian is not promises, but power in their homes, roads to their farms, access to clean water, modern hospitals, and quality schools. We must build. We must deliver. And we must do it together,” Tinubu stated.

Tinubu admitted that Nigeria’s project implementation culture has certain current difficulties and noted that action has not always matched the country’s potential.

He said, “Nigeria does not lack potential. What we have lacked, at times, is alignment of purpose and the courage to act decisively. Let us chart a new path, not just as government and investors, but as partners in nation-building.”

He stated that the current government has implemented initiatives to promote openness in the public-private interaction framework and to streamline the processes that are involved in the bureaucratic system.

The president said, “We have aligned our processes with global best practices and investor expectations.”

According to President Tinubu, the key to national transformation is a productive collaboration between the public and private sectors.

In order to effectively regulate and de-risk PPP transactions, he also revealed that the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) has been reinforced.

In terms of long-term infrastructure goals, Tinubu reiterated the government’s commitment to the National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan (2020-2043), which aims to increase Nigeria’s infrastructure stock from 30-35 percent of GDP to 70% by 2043.

He did, however, warn that “blueprints do not build roads.” Policies alone do not generate megawatts.”

He encouraged private-sector stakeholders to look beyond perceived risks and seize the opportunity to contribute to a rapidly changing economy.

“To our private sector partners, Nigeria offers scale, demand, and returns like no other African market. But we need more than investment. We need innovation, we need efficiency, and above all, we need integrity. I urge you to look beyond the risks and recognise the immense opportunity to shape a nation that is not just rising, but ready,” he said.

In his earlier remarks, Dr. Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the ICRC, gave local and foreign investors the assurance that Nigeria is still open to business and ready for sincere collaboration.

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In order to demonstrate the urgency and potential of PPPs, he pointed to the nation’s sizable population, growing middle class, and substantial infrastructure deficit, which is estimated to be more than $2.3 trillion.

“With over 200 million people, a growing middle class, rich natural endowments, and an enormous infrastructure gap estimated at over $2.3 trillion — the case for PPPs in Nigeria is not only compelling, it is urgent,” Ewalefoh said.

He further stated that the Commission is focused on balancing its regulatory role with facilitation and collaboration.

“We are committed to ensuring that every PPP transaction is not just legally sound, but economically viable and socially impactful,” he said.

Dr. Ewalefoh made a commitment that the ICRC will provide assistance to investors from the beginning stages of project conceptualisation to the completion of financial transactions and the implementation of the project.

The progress that the Commission has made, according to Ewalefoh, can be due to President Tinubu’s direct backing as well as a clear mandate to obtain funds from the private sector for national infrastructure.