The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) has assured Nigerians that the pursuit of commercial returns in public-private partnership (PPP) projects will not be allowed to undermine affordability and access to essential healthcare services and medicines.
The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Dr. Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, gave the assurance while speaking on the Commission’s regulatory oversight of healthcare PPPs, including the Medical Commodities Procurement and Supply Chain Optimisation Project, popularly known as MEDIPOOL.
Ewalefoh said affordability and public interest remain central considerations in the development and negotiation of PPP projects, stressing that a healthcare project would defeat its purpose if the services or medicines provided were priced beyond the reach of ordinary Nigerians.
According to him, the ICRC begins its regulatory assessment when an Outline Business Case is submitted, examining the viability and bankability of a proposed project, its value for money, procurement transparency and its overall benefit to the public.
“We ensure public interest: that the project meets a genuine need for Nigerians and that it is priced fairly and affordably,” he said.
He added that the commercial objectives of PPPs must be balanced with the social responsibilities of government.
“The pursuit of commercial return will not be allowed to compromise this,” the ICRC boss said.
On MEDIPOOL, Ewalefoh explained that the project was designed to facilitate the bulk procurement of medicines, allowing pharmaceutical products to be purchased and distributed at lower costs, including to communities in remote parts of the country.
He said the project could also help strengthen domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing by supporting the local production of some medicines currently imported into Nigeria.
According to him, such an outcome would create jobs, stimulate the local economy and ultimately contribute to making medicines more affordable to Nigerians.
On concerns over toll charges under the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI), Ewalefoh said the Commission evaluates toll pricing against the quality, efficiency and benefits of the infrastructure provided to road users.
He cited the 227-kilometre Akwanga–Makurdi road corridor as an example, noting that the route has four toll gates through which road users pay during their journey.
He argued that toll payments should be viewed against the costs previously imposed on motorists by the poor condition of the road, including lost man-hours, vehicle damage and the risks associated with accidents.
Ewalefoh said feedback from road users indicated that many motorists were willing to pay tolls where they could see tangible improvements in road quality.
He noted that some drivers had expressed willingness to support similar arrangements on other major corridors, provided the roads were upgraded to comparable standards.
“That, to me, is the beauty of a well-structured PPP,” he said.
The ICRC chief explained that toll pricing is considered during negotiations to ensure that charges remain fair, while a portion of the revenue generated is warehoused specifically for road maintenance.
Under the concession arrangement, he said, government would not have to shoulder additional maintenance costs for the duration of the concession.
He added that the contract requires potholes to be repaired within 48 hours, while major routine repairs are funded from the toll revenue set aside for maintenance.