The Impact of Public-Private Partnership Policy on Rural Development in Niger State

Infrastructure inadequacies caused by poor financing, poor economic outcomes, recessions and recently, the Covid-19 pandemic have remained one of the major impediments towards attaining rural development in Nigeria. The inadequacy of the traditional methods of infrastructural financing and the limitations it pose to rural infrastructural development has further necessitated the need for collaborative engagement through public private partnership as a means of infrastructure financing and delivery. This study therefore, examines public private partnership policy and its impact on rural community development in healthcare, education, roads and agriculture in Niger State from 2011 to 2019 and with major focus on three selected rural communities in the three senatorial zones. The objectives were to examine the impact of effective PPPs implementation on rural community development in Niger State, the hindrances to PPPs implementation, the strategies to tackle these hindrances, and what templates and framework could ensure effective PPPs‟ implementation and performance. Neoliberal theory was used as a theoretical framework for the analysis due to its thrust on democratization and inclusion of private participation of the larger society in public policies. The study adopted both primary and secondary methods of data collection using questionnaire and interview. Data were collected and analyzed using chi-square and SPSS and findings from the study shows that PPPs have positively impacted rural community infrastructures in healthcare, education, roads and agriculture in Niger State. The study recommends more sensitization, awareness, community consultation and participation in the planning and implementation of PPPs, formulation of rural oriented PPPs, and workable template and legal framework capable of promoting rural community development.