CIPRA of LBS signs MoU with ICRC

The Centre for Infrastructure, Policy, Regulation and Advancement (CIPRA) at Lagos Business School, and the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC), today in Lagos signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between CIPRA and ICRC.

Under the term of this MOU, both parties will collaborate to conduct research and develop case studies, reports, policy research papers and other instructional materials covering various areas of Private Public Partnerships (PPPs) in infrastructure in Nigeria.

The MOU signing ceremony had in attendance the Dean of Lagos Business School, Dr Enase Okonedo, the DG of ICRC Engr. Mansur Ahmed, the Director of CIPRA, Dr Ernest Ndukwe, Mr Chiedu Ndubuisi of ICRC and the CIPRA Research Fellow Dr Bongo Adi, and witnessed by representative from the two organisations.

In his remarks at the signing ceremony, Dr Ndukwe declared that “The MOU we have signed today represents an important milestone for both ICRC and CIPRA and will advance the development of requisite skills and capacity for Public Private Partnership undertakings in Nigeria”.

He further observed that “Grossly underdeveloped public infrastructure has been identified as one of the biggest constraints to rapid economic transformation in Nigeria and indeed in most other countries in Africa. Well structured Public Private Partnerships will attract the needed investment for faster infrastructure deployment”

Engr Ahmed, the DG of ICRC, said “this partnership with LBS’ CIPRA will give ICRC the needed institutional and intellectual foundation for actualizing the Commission’s mandate.  It is one initiative that will contribute in no small measure to the knowledge base required for a sound PPP regime in Nigeria.” He pledged ICRC’s support and willingness to collaborate with LBS to pursue the goals of the MOU.

Dr Enase Okonedo, the dean of the school remarked that the MOU with ICRC would go down the history of LBS as the first MOU between the school and a public sector institution and is optimistic that the partnership would yield good dividends in terms of improved know-how and optimal policy framework for infrastructure delivery in the country.

The MOU, valid for two years initially, is expected to help achieve a more efficient and effective regulatory environment built on transparency, accountability and trust.