NSE links project failures to poor procurement

The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has linked the failure of construction projects in Nigeria to poor procurement practices. Valerie Agberagba, the Deputy President of NSE, spoke at the Big 5 Construct Nigeria conference about the country's struggle to deliver sustainable buildings and infrastructure. She noted that while Nigeria has numerous projects on the pipeline, the issue lies in completing and maintaining them.

Agberagba highlighted population growth, energy supply, and procurement bottlenecks as significant barriers to project completion. She emphasized that the country's population is projected to reach between 235 million and 240 million in 2025, and that urbanization rates are at 54 percent, higher than the World Bank's estimate of 63.78 percent.

The Nigerian economy faces challenges such as high monetary policy rates, which impact private-sector investment, and the need for urgent attention to transport, logistics, and energy infrastructure. Agberagba criticized poor planning, weak procurement, and the lowest-bidder rule, which often leads to abandoned or overly expensive projects.

She urged stakeholders to adopt a development-led approach, combining market demand, land and planning, utilities, finance, construction, and maintenance.