A public-private partnership model for higher education infrastructure

Abstract

The Nigerian Higher Education (HE) system has faced several challenges, which have led to the use of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to improve the provision of infrastructure and enhance service delivery. However, private sector participation in the delivery of HE infrastructure lags behind other sectors to date. This study explores how private sector participation in the provision of social infrastructure in the Nigeria HE infrastructure sector can be improved. To this end, a viable PPP Model suitable for the procurement of social infrastructure in the HE infrastructure sector is developed. A systematic literature review was carried out to investigate HE infrastructure needs in Nigeria public higher education institutions (PHEIs), the extent to which the private sector has partnered with the government in HE infrastructure development, and the problems associated with PPP in HE Infrastructure development. Also, analysis of PPP processes applied to HE infrastructure and services in three developed countries (Canada, the UK, and the USA) was carried out to identify opportunities and attributes applicable to the process of proposing solutions to the identified problems. To gain further understanding of the identified problems, an exploratory study was conducted by interviewing some stakeholders, also, to understand the problems as they affect individual projects, case studies of three completed PPP projects in the HE infrastructure sector were conducted through semi-structured interviews, and questionnaires. Furthermore, Collaborative Governance Theory (CGT) was identified as an appropriate theory for the study and used as a lens to interpret the findings. The proposed Model was then developed based on the findings of the literature review, the exploratory survey, the case studies, and the study concludes by identifying strategies that can help PPP initiative in Nigeria HE infrastructure sector take a more practical and dynamic approach towards its processes. Strategies such as a good and strict implementation of PPP project governance system, proper stakeholders’ engagement/management, determination of appropriate payment mechanism, the introduction of Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) are suggested to harness private sector participation in social infrastructure development in the HE infrastructure sector.