News
Blame Weak Legislation for PPP Failures- Experts
Experts at the just-concluded African Engineering Conference, organised by the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, have blamed the failure of public-private partnership on weak laws.
It also featured the society’s Annual General Meeting and the UNESCO African Engineering Week.
The events were held at the Tropicana Conference Centre with the Federation of African Engineering Organisation (FAEO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisations (UNESCO).
Over 600 delegates from across the world attended. Its theme was “Adequate, reliable and sustainable energy in Africa.”
In his presentation entitled: “Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit: Beyond the limitation of finance in public-private partnership and project procurement options,” Senator Iyiola Omisore said the global perspective of PPP is that it remains the best approach to infrastructural growth.
He noted that although the PPP model had been deployed to execute a few public projects, its value has been mostly felt in Lagos State, where the authorities have partnered the private sector on design, finance and management of public utilities.
Outside the state, he said, infrastructure procurement by states is still tied to the old model of contract awards to private firms to execute a project designed and financed by the government. For this reason, the country has fared poorly.
“The critical point to be made here is that, though there seems to be shortage of investable funds in the international market, but Nigeria’s crisis seems compounded by the integrity profile of our legal framework for an ideal PPP model,” he said.
Omisore said without going into the details of the shortfalls in the legal framework, “suffice to say, however, that the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) Act of 2005, the Public Procurement Act 2007 regulations issued by ICRC governing the PPP process and various state laws as described in each state’s PPP policies, fall short of necessary regulatory framework for proper implementation of PPP projects, most importantly with respect to dispute resolution during the tenor of the contract and drew attention to the absence of political will to see through the policies of previous administration.
He said because concessionaires are aware of a negative tendency by a new administration not to honour to the letter, the tenets of an arrangement by a departed administration, they are often inclined to speed up the inauguration of projects, irrespective of its stage of completion, before the expiration of tenure of the awarding administration. And except there is a determination that a PPP succeed, there are vested interests in a country to ensure that the government’s initiative to promote PPP as a policy fail.
“PPP projects often encounter serious resistance from labour unions, civil service employees and sundry socio-economic interest groups,” Omisore said, adding that the general public sometimes misunderstand PPP out of ignorance and on the strategic importance of PPP in a nation’s socio-economic development.
He said PPP are meant to be contractual arrangements between the public and private sectors of the economy, in which responsibilities, risks and obligations are to be shared by both sides in order to guarantee the greatest benefits to the public.
He regreted that in Nigeria, a segment of the public service operators tend to see the private sector concessionaires as the enemies that would deprive them of their jobs, therefore, to be overcome at all cost. This, he said, is often achieved when some rules in the civil service are exhumed to advise the government on why all of a PPP undertaking, or some aspects of PPP project agreement should not be honoured, thereby leading to the government unilaterally rebidding on contracts voluntarily entered.
“Moreso, with a weak legal framework, under which concessionaires cannot be protected, the tendency is for the private sector operators, both from within and from outside of the country, to be wary of doing business with government. Thus, timely procurement of public utilities suffers and the socio-economic development and the country is the worst for it,” he regretted.
Otis Anyaeji, outgoing president, thanked Omisore for touching on a crucial aspect affecting the industry by harping on the opportunities that PPP model brings.
Anyaeji called on engineers to see beyond the threshold of career limitations and be creative in their service.
Another speaker, Mr. Uzo Ezimora, director of Operations of General Electric, one of the operators of the Nigerian Railway project under the PPP model, emphasised that no government anywhere in the world can fund infrastructural development.
Corroborating Omisore, he beckoned on engineering firms to form formidable partnerships or mergers to pull resources to meet the requisite qualifications for government’s advertised jobs on engineering and projects.
PalmPay, Nigeria’s leading digital banking platform, has announced the launch of its ₦400 million festive rewards campaign, designed to reward users with cash prizes and fully sponsored international travel experiences for everyday transactions on the PalmPay app.
The campaign will run from December 17, 2025, to January 8, 2026. The campaign is designed to reward everyday transactions with extraordinary experiences. It runs alongside PalmPay’s Purple December brand campaign, which focuses on wrapping up the company’s key brand and community initiatives for the year.
At the centre of the rewards campaign is the PalmPay World Travel Carnival, an interactive card collection experience that allows users to earn city cards by completing transactions on the app. Users are required to collect five city cards – London, New York, Dubai, Sydney, and Cape Town and combine them into a World Card, which unlocks a share of the prize pool.
The more World Cards a user creates, the larger their share of the cash rewards. Any extra uncombined cards can be swapped with friends and other PalmPay users to help complete additional World Cards.
Beyond cash rewards, the Carnival also offers Free Global Trips. In each round, the top two users with the highest number of eligible transactions (₦100 and above) and at least one World Card will win an all-expense-paid international trip.
The travel grand prize covers:
- Visa fees
- Round-trip international airfare
- 5-day, 4-night hotel accommodation
- Side attraction
- Meal expenses
- Airport pick-up and drop-off
- All transportation for scheduled tour activities during the trip
Winners will be determined through a transparent leaderboard system, with prizes credited automatically at the end of each round on December 25, December 31, and January 8.
Participation is simple:
- Complete tasks on the PalmPay app, such as Airtime, Data, Transfers, and other specific transactions listed in the app, to earn cards.
- Collect all five city cards.
- Swap cards with friends to complete your collection.
- Combine cards to form a World Card and earn cash rewards.
- Perform more transactions to climb the leaderboard for a chance at the global trip prize.
To ensure fairness, PalmPay has instituted strict rules: no cheating, bots, fake accounts, or manipulation. Any violations may lead to disqualification or account bans. Additionally, the Free Travel Prize is limited to one per user throughout the campaign.
Speaking on the launch, Femi Hanson, Head of Marketing & Communication, “This festive rewards campaign is about turning everyday banking into meaningful value for our users. With the World Travel Carnival as the headline activation, we are reinforcing PalmPay’s promise of being the smarter way to bank—where smart financial decisions unlock bigger opportunities.”
The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to conduct a nationwide energy survey aimed at closing long-standing data gaps in Nigeria’s power sector. The initiative is expected to guide policy, attract investment, and accelerate universal electricity access.
Signed in Abuja, the agreement establishes a National Energy Survey based on the Multi-Tier Tracking Framework (MTF), a globally recognized methodology that measures electricity access not only by grid connection but also by quality, affordability, reliability, and usage of electricity and clean cooking solutions.
The survey will be implemented under the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) of the World Bank. Dr. Abba Aliyu, REA Managing Director/CEO, said the partnership underscores REA’s commitment to evidence-based rural electrification planning and will generate detailed insights on electricity access and off-grid solutions nationwide.
Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, Statistician-General of the Federation/CEO of NBS, emphasized that reliable statistics are essential for effective policymaking, assuring that NBS will provide technical oversight, sampling expertise, and quality assurance to meet global standards.
The survey will assess energy access, household affordability, expenditure patterns, and the adoption of off-grid technologies such as solar home systems, mini-grids, and clean cooking solutions. REA will provide sector expertise and policy alignment, while NBS manages regulatory approvals, methodology, and technical supervision.
Funded and technically overseen by the World Bank, the exercise will run for 18 months, with the resulting data expected to improve national energy planning, programme targeting, and private sector investment, particularly in underserved and rural communities.
Officials said the collaboration reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening inter-agency coordination, enhancing energy data availability, and advancing Nigeria’s goal of universal electricity and clean cooking access.
The Stakeholders in Blockchain Technology Association of Nigeria (SiBAN), the nation’s foremost self-regulatory body for the blockchain industry, has completed its election cycle, heralding the beginning of a new executive council dedicated to scaling Nigeria’s digital economy.
The highly anticipated elections concluded recently with the emergence of a new leadership team poised to champion industry standards, foster innovation, and drive widespread adoption of blockchain technology across the country.
The newly elected executives, who will officially assume their roles in January 2026, represent a blend of legal, financial, and technical expertise critical for navigating the evolving regulatory landscape.
Leading the charge is Mela Claude-Ake, a lawyer, who has been elected the President of SiBAN to succeed the outgoing President, Obinna Iwuno, whose tenure was marked by significant achievements, including facilitating crucial reforms and forging strategic partnerships with regulators and other critical stakeholders in the digital asset industry. Mr. Iwuno will formally hand over the reins to the new council in January 2026.
Other elected to the executive council are Chimene Chinah – Vice President 1, in charge of Blockchain education and adoption; Oroke Cornelius – Vice President 2, in charge of membership, strategic partnerships, and funding; and Ayo Shonibare – Vice President 3, in charge of policy, regulation, and ethics.
Others are Ugochukwu Peters – Vice President 4 in charge of digital asset operations and capital markets, Mbene Vivian – Chief strategy officer in charge of projects and incubation, Olufunmilayo Tugbobo as Financial Secretary/Chief Financial Officer, and Chiemeka David Ohajionu as Chief Communications Officer.
The newly elected council’s structure reflects SiBAN’s commitment to addressing key pillars of the blockchain ecosystem: from grassroots education and fostering innovation through projects, to establishing robust regulatory frameworks.
In his acceptance speech, Mela Claude-Ake emphasized the vital role SiBAN plays in shaping the future of finance and technology in Nigeria.
“The trust placed in this new council is not one we take lightly. We inherit a great foundation built by the outgoing team. Our mission now is to accelerate. We stand at a critical juncture where the potential of blockchain to revolutionize every sector, from finance and governance to supply chain, is undeniable. This new council will focus relentlessly on advancing smart, collaborative regulation, democratizing blockchain education, and protecting the interests of all stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria remains a leader in the African digital economy space,” he assured.
He added that he is humbled by the opportunity to be the face of one of Nigeria’s youngest and most promising sectors — blockchain tech.
“As a tech enthusiast I am excited at the possibilities. The ecosystem needs careful nurturing by the government. My administration will be focused on building new bridges for the blockchain sector internationally and domestically, establishing trust with the public and unifying the sector. I enjoin all blockchain stakeholders in Nigeria, connected to Nigeria or of nigerian heritage to join hands together with my administration in building the industry of our dreams.”
The industry now looks forward to the handover ceremony in January 2026 and the initiatives the new SiBAN leadership will unveil to solidify the association’s role as a catalyst for innovation and a respected partner to the Nigerian government.
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