Author: The PPP Post

The Umm Al Qura hospital project in Makkah has attracted expressions of interest from 73 local and international companies. Saudi Arabia plans to complete and operate the 391-bed university hospital through a public-private partnership. The strong response gives the government a broad field for the next procurement stage. Umm Al-Qura University is advancing the project with the National Center for Privatization & PPP (NCP). The Ministries of Education, Finance and Investment are also supporting the transaction. NCP information reported on September 28 shows that 65 Saudi companies and eight international companies responded to the EOI launched earlier this year. The…

The Bahamas has introduced a revised public-private partnership policy, a new PPP Assessment Framework and a proposed “Private Sector First” approach. Economic Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis tabled the measures in Parliament as the government seeks stronger fiscal oversight and greater private-sector participation in infrastructure. Developed with support from Misca Advisors, the reforms strengthen project identification, appraisal, approval, procurement and contract management. They also reinforce the Ministry of Finance’s role in assessing affordability and wider fiscal consequences before projects receive approval. The revised policy builds on the country’s existing PPP framework rather than replacing its basic structure. The three documents have…

Rio de Janeiro has opened public consultation on tender documents for a 16-year administrative concession covering 175 battery-electric buses, a public depot in Maré and supporting charging infrastructure. The consultation, reported on September 30, marks an important procurement step for the Rio electric bus PPP. Companies, organisations and members of the public can submit comments until October 28, 2026. The proposed term includes one year for implementation and 15 years of operation. The concessionaire would supply and operate the buses, develop the publicly owned depot, install charging and electrical systems, and maintain the project assets. The city plans to use…

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is preparing one of Africa’s largest digital infrastructure expansions. The government plans to add 11,600 kilometres to its national fibre-optic backbone through four concessions. Each concession will run for 20 years, while international competitive tendering will select the private operators. The Congo fibre concession programme forms part of the wider Digital Transformation Project. It follows market consultations earlier in 2026, when officials were refining the commercial structure. Importantly, the latest procurement information gives investors a view of the proposed model. It also introduces financing to cover an “investment gap” where concession revenues cannot meet…

Medical tourism and PPPs offer a combined opportunity to attract healthcare investment, expand specialist services and strengthen domestic health systems. Growing demand for treatment abroad is creating opportunities for investment in hospitals and supporting infrastructure. For governments, the prospect extends beyond tourism receipts: well-structured partnerships can connect international patient demand with public health priorities. Medical tourism involves travelling abroad specifically to receive medical care. Patients seek services ranging from dental procedures and elective surgery to cancer treatment and fertility care. Cost, access to treatments unavailable at home, and confidence in particular clinicians can influence their decisions. Although often promoted alongside…

Panama has moved to overhaul key parts of its public-private partnership framework as the government seeks to accelerate infrastructure investment. The Cabinet approved the proposed changes on September 15, before the government submitted the bill to the National Assembly on September 17. The Panama PPP legal reform would amend Law 93 of 2019, which established the country’s modern PPP regime. The government wants to shorten project preparation and procurement timelines while attracting more private capital into public infrastructure. Minister of the Presidency Juan Carlos Orillac said more than six years of implementation had exposed stages that take longer than necessary.…

The City of São Paulo has opened a public consultation on a major education infrastructure project. The proposed São Paulo school PPP involves more than R$940 million, or about US$185 million, in investment. It will cover 95 municipal schools in the city’s East Zone and could benefit more than 50,000 students. The schools fall under the São Mateus Regional Directorate of Education and serve several eastern districts. São Paulo plans to structure the project as a 20-year administrative concession. Under the proposed model, the private partner would refurbish and maintain school buildings. It would also improve accessibility, safety and infrastructure…

Kazakhstan is looking for new funding for water needs as pressure on supplies and ageing infrastructure increases. The Kazakhstan blue finance framework, developed through Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), could help move more private capital toward water projects. UNDP says the country may face a water deficit of 12–15 billion cubic metres by 2040. It also estimates that Kazakhstan needs US$1–1.5 billion in water-sector investment every year. Therefore, public funding alone may not cover the scale of the challenge. The work will define which investments qualify as “blue,” identify potential projects and prepare conditions for a pilot blue…

Niger has taken a major step toward strengthening its domestic electricity supply through a new public-private partnership. The agreement covers a 200 MW solar photovoltaic plant with battery storage in Niamey. The Niger solar PPP project will operate under a 20-year Build-Operate-Transfer concession. Energy Minister Prof. Haoua Amadou and NEPP head Adamou Amadou Daouda signed the agreement on August 20, 2026. Niger Electricity Power Production will develop the project. Meanwhile, the investment totals CFA 126.1 billion, or about $205 million. Under the BOT structure, NEPP will finance, build and operate the plant. At the end of the concession, it will…

Saudi Arabia and Syria have signed four agreements covering roads, railways, civil aviation and postal services, opening a new phase in bilateral transport cooperation. The Saudi Syria transport agreements followed an official visit to Damascus by Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistics Services Saleh Al-Jasser. He led a delegation from the public and private sectors and met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the package creates a framework for joint infrastructure projects, smoother trade flows and wider public-private partnerships. Two memorandums focus on roads and railways, while separate instruments cover air transport and postal services. Moreover,…