Abuja, Nigeria; 13 August 2015: Director General of the ICRC, Mr. Aminu Diko, has emphasised the usefulness of getting the private sector involved in the provision of national security infrastructure through Public Private Partnerships. He expressed this view while presenting a lecture titled “Infrastructure and National Development: Implication for National Security” to participants of the Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 8 at the Institute for Security Studies, Abuja.

According to Mr. Diko, who was represented by Mr. Chiedu Ndubuisi, Technical Adviser DG, the trend the world over has seen countries actively involve the private sector in the provision of infrastructure that is required for national security among other uses. He recalled that ICRC had guidedthe successful concession arrangement between Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and Global West Vessels Ltd for a 24 hour satellite the surveillance of the entire Nigeria maritime domain and coastal areas.

Diko said the Nigerian Infrastructure Integrated Master Plan has estimated that about 48% of the infrastructure spend for Nigeria estimated at USD3 trillion over the next 30 years will be financed through PPP. The infrastructure spend on the construction of 3,000 new police stations, 1000 new prisons, and 170 new barracks will require private finance.

On the issue of curbing terrorism, he said Nigeria can adopt the Brazilian model of an Operations Command Centre in the city of Rio which has a state-of – the art surveillance office that monitors activities in the city.