Management of Public-Private Partnerships in Urban Infrastructure Provision in Abuja

Public-private partnerships have been widely promoted as a mechanism for mobilizing private capital and management expertise in urban infrastructure provision, particularly in contexts where public sector resources are constrained. This study examines the management of public-private partnership arrangements in urban infrastructure provision in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, evaluating partnership structures, contractual frameworks, risk allocation, and performance outcomes. A professional management case study design was used, reviewing contracts, performance reports, and audit documents for five major infrastructure PPP projects managed through the Federal Capital Development Authority from 2017 to 2023. Ten PPP management professionals, contract supervisors, and financial analysts participated in semi-structured interviews. Findings are expected to reveal challenges in contract performance monitoring, renegotiation pressures on financially stressed PPP structures, inadequate risk transfer to private partners in some arrangements, and limited government technical capacity to manage complex PPP contracts effectively. The study evaluates specific cases where PPP structures produced inadequate service delivery outcomes for Abuja residents. Recommendations address development of a standardized PPP management framework for FCDA infrastructure contracts, investment in contract management capacity for planning and finance officers, establishment of an independent PPP oversight body, transparent performance reporting requirements for all PPP infrastructure contracts, and development of procurement guidelines for equitable risk allocation in future infrastructure partnerships. Keywords: Public-private partnerships, Urban infrastructure, Abuja, Contract management, FCDA.