The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) has said Nigeria’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework has become a model for Africa’s trade future following the adoption of the country’s Customs Modernisation Project for a $3.1 billion African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) customs modernisation initiative.

‎ICRC Director-General, Dr. Jobson Oseodion Ewalefoh, stated this in Abuja on Tuesday while reacting to the signing of the AfCFTA Customs Modernisation Project concession agreement. The agreement adopts Nigeria’s Customs Modernisation Project and its B’Odogwu Unified Customs Management System as a template for deployment across participating African countries.

‎Under the agreement, the AfCFTA Secretariat signed a 20-year, $3.1 billion concession deal with Bergmans Security Consultants and Supplies Limited, the parent company of Trade Modernisation Project (TMP), to modernise customs operations in about 50 member countries and support trade within the continent’s 1.3 billion-person market.

According to Ewalefoh, the decision to adopt a Nigerian-developed solution for a continental project reflects the strength of the country’s PPP framework and demonstrates Africa’s growing confidence in indigenous technology and expertise.

‎“Africa is not just adopting a piece of technology. Africa is adopting a Nigerian idea, built by Nigerians, proven on Nigerian soil and now trusted to support the trade ambitions of an entire continent,” he said, adding that the project illustrates the impact of properly structured and regulated PPPs.

‎The ICRC boss noted that the Customs Modernisation Project was executed as a presidential initiative through a PPP arrangement and recalled that the project faced significant scepticism and resistance in its early stages. He said its eventual success has validated confidence in local capacity and innovation.

Ewalefoh also praised the Nigeria Customs Service and Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, for driving the rollout of the B’Odogwu platform across Customs commands nationwide, describing the initiative as a key factor behind the confidence it has earned at the continental level.

‎The Commission said the project aligns with Nigeria’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy under the Renewed Hope Development Plan 2026–2030 by attracting private investment into critical infrastructure. Ewalefoh added that the project has already improved customs revenue generation and positioned Nigeria as a supplier of technology solutions to Africa, demonstrating how well-regulated PPPs can boost public finances, create jobs and strengthen economic growth.