Practice and Challenges of Public-Private Partnership for a Unified Billing System in Addis Ababa

Abstract

This report presents findings from a study of the practice and challenge faced by public and private sector in adapting and implementing public-private partnership(PPP) in the unified billing system of Addis Ababa. It assesses the contextual and operational level of conditions for public-private partnership as development strategy. The research is an explorative research type and it is multiple case study and dominantly qualitative nature with some use of quantitative research design formats. The study used a mixed data which is qualitative and quantitative type to explore the challenge and practices faced in adapting and implementing PPP in unified billing system and illustrate the future research area for farther research. A total of 103 questioners were distributed for those purposively selected employee of kifiya financial technology plc which is a private partner and out of which 102 of questioner has filled and returned in time manner. Also 16 closed ended questioner which were used as a key informant for utility organization Ethio telecom, Addis Ababa water and sewerage Authority, Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation and Ministry of Information Communication Technology for beneficiaries and public partner respectively were distributed and 14 of them were responded accordingly the response from respondent has triangulated. The study revealed that the current conditional level of public private partnership lacks having Favorable legal framework, lack of government guidelines and procedures, Prevalence of dedicated institution, well organized and committed public agency, aggressive risk transfer of government & un clear and Substantial technical, operational and financial risk transfer method to the private party are identified as major challenge in adapting and implementing public private partnership approach as developmental strategy. However, currently adapted and implemented public-private partnership has created a chance to leverage private partner expertise, knowledge, capital investment and created an employment opportunity to the city.