The Federal Executive Council has approved three public-private partnership initiatives to boost infrastructure and economic activity in key sectors. The projects include the establishment of a Smart National Transport Data Bank under the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology. Two additional approvals are for Independent Power Projects at Onne and Apapa Port Complexes. The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission confirmed the approvals following its regulatory review, due diligence, and certification of the Full Business Case.
The commission's Acting Head of Media and Publicity, Ifeanyi Nwoko, disclosed the development in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday. ICRC Director-General Dr Jobson Ewalefoh described the Smart National Transport Data Bank as a response to Nigeria's persistent lack of reliable transport data. He stated the system would function as a digital platform integrating real-time data across road, rail, air, and marine transport. Technologies like vehicle tagging and automated number plate recognition would support traffic enforcement and management.
Ewalefoh explained the data bank would improve infrastructure planning, reduce inefficiencies, and generate revenue through digital compliance. The Onne Port Complex will host a 50-megawatt power plant to supply stable electricity to the port and the Oil and Gas Free Zone. This, he said, would ease operational bottlenecks and support industrial activity. The Apapa Port Complex project will deliver about 36 megawatts using a hybrid energy mix. It aims to enhance energy reliability, cut operational energy costs, and improve port competitiveness.
Ewalefoh emphasized the power projects are productivity enablers that directly affect trade efficiency and the cost of doing business. He credited the government's coordinated strategy in tackling infrastructure gaps through structured public-private frameworks. The ICRC reaffirmed its commitment to aligning all PPPs with global best practices, ensuring value for money and investor confidence while safeguarding public interest.
Ewalefoh claims Nigeria's transport challenge is the lack of data, yet the same problem has long affected power and port operations now being fixed with new projects. The approval of data and power infrastructure for Onne and Apapa suggests these zones were operating without reliable systems for years. If data is now foundational for transport planning, why were major projects previously executed without it? The same gap likely distorted past investments, leaving taxpayers to bear the cost of inefficient planning.
Editorial note: AI-assisted opinion, not established fact. Full disclaimer →
