LAUSR

Abstract Good infrastructures are key to guarantee sustained economic growth and inclusive development. However, fiscal and budget constraints are likely to restraint public investment in infrastructure. For these reasons, public–private partnerships (PPPs) are increasingly playing a crucial role in infrastructures deployment at global level. However, the factors affecting PPP attraction are still understudied. In particular, it is notable that some regions are persistently underperforming in terms of PPP investments. This study aims to identify the impact that non-financial factors, such as governance and regulatory quality, play in PPP investments in the MENA region. We analysed the impact of regulatory quality in infrastructure investment and we show that regulatory quality is the most relevant governance indicator to explain the level of PPP investments. Its impact is particularly strong in the energy sector, and in politically instable environments such as the MENA countries.