Nigeria Looks To Convert Infrastructure Demand Into Feasible Projects

In 2026, Nigeria is witnessing significant demand across the housing, transport, power, water and productive infrastructure projects markets, with energy and transport presenting particularly strong opportunities, while industrial development, housing, digital infrastructure and urban development also offer significant potential.

However, the challenge is converting that demand into deliverable projects. Schemes must be properly scoped, designed, financed, approved and governed before that demand can translate into completed assets.

The topic of the country’s construction outlook in 2026 and the market realities and delivery priorities was explored by Engineer Valarie Agberagba, deputy president of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, at the 2026 edition of Big 5 Construct Nigeria, held in late September in Lagos.

The event welcomed an estimated 10,600 attendees, connecting construction professionals across key disciplines, including contractors, architects, engineers, consultants and distributors. It brought together more than 170 exhibitors, with participation from 21 countries and six national pavilions set up by China, Egypt, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Turkey.

Project Readiness

Agberagba noted that project readiness should determine when procurement begins and that approval alone does not mean a project is ready for market. A clear business case, completed design, secured approvals, suitable financing and well-defined risks should be in place before procurement and mobilisation, she said.

She also stated that procurement should prioritise value over the lowest initial price. Contractor competence, quality, constructability and lifecycle cost are critical considerations, as selecting solely on price can create higher operational, maintenance and replacement costs later, the engineer said. Infrastructure quality must be managed across the full asset lifecycle. Delivery should not end at construction; rather, effective commissioning, funded maintenance and long-term operational planning are necessary to protect performance and public value.

Sustainable Materials

In a panel discussion titled ‘Sustainable materials, cost and delivery: what’s next for construction in Nigeria’, the panellists, who included representatives from the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, HBM Nigeria, Tetramanor, NAFDAC and Mixta Africa, echoed the need to consider lifecycle costs for projects across Nigeria’s construction market.

The panel explored how rising material, financing and delivery costs are affecting project viability and influencing decisions across the construction market, examining the challenge of maintaining sustainability ambitions when developers and project teams are facing increasing pressure to control costs.

The speakers considered the importance of looking beyond upfront material costs to factors such as durability, operational performance, maintenance and whole-life value. The conversation highlighted the need to balance affordability, quality, sustainability and delivery timelines when making material, design and procurement decisions. Looking towards future construction growth, the panel explored the role of efficient project delivery, material innovation, local manufacturing and improved building performance.

Sustainable construction must also make commercial sense, the panellists concluded. Solutions that successfully balance cost, performance, sustainability and practical delivery are likely to have the greatest potential for wider adoption in Nigeria.

Green Buildings

In his presentation on green buildings and delivering sustainable projects in Nigeria, Architect Emmanuel Falude, director of education and certification at the Green Building Council Nigeria, challenged the perception that green buildings are significantly more expensive, highlighting long-term operational savings and improved building performance.

Case studies show that locally sourced materials, passive design strategies and green infrastructure can deliver both environmental and economic benefits, he said, adding that sustainable construction is increasingly being demonstrated through real-world Nigerian projects rather than theoretical frameworks. However, scaling sustainable construction will require stronger policy support, sustainable procurement practices and wider adoption of certified green projects.

Environmental Impact

Meanwhile, Emmanuel Ilaboya, head of business for concrete and innovation at HBM Nigeria, said sustainable construction solutions must balance carbon reduction, cost, performance and scalability to achieve widespread adoption.

Nigeria must meet growing demand for housing and infrastructure while reducing the environmental impact of construction, he said, adding that a low-carbon housing case study in Lagos had demonstrated that meaningful carbon reductions can be achieved without compromising technical performance or affordability. The next challenge for the industry is moving from successful pilot projects to repeatable, commercially viable solutions that can be deployed at scale.

Addressing Urban Growth

Rapid urban growth requires integrated infrastructure planning, Architect Adewale Oshinusi argued in his presentation on creating resilient cities and infrastructure. Expanding cities need coordinated road, rail, utility and land-use networks to reduce congestion, protect productivity and support sustainable economic activity, the project director at WALL + OSH Consulting & Development, said.

Nigeria’s rapidly growing cities require infrastructure that is connected, climate-resilient and designed as an integrated system, Oshinusi concluded. Combining transport, utilities, drainage and digital technology within long-term urban plans can help improve mobility, strengthen resilience and create more productive cities.

Local vs Imported

An industry dialogue panel on the usage of local versus imported materials in projects established that localisation is increasingly a question of when, not if, in Nigeria, with panellists arguing the more relevant question is when localisation can happen at the scale required by the construction industry. The speakers included executives from Moulding Technologies, Megamound and the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute.

The priority now is creating the manufacturing capacity, quality assurance, market confidence and enabling environment needed to make locally produced construction materials competitive and scaleable, they said.

Building Roads

A panel discussion on constructing road projects in Nigeria, which included representatives from ABM Infrastructure Advisory, Alexander Arthur, Palton Morgan Holdings and Orion Consulting Engineering Services, also opined that cost pressure remains a major concern in projects. Volatility in material prices, procurement challenges and broader economic pressures continue to affect project budgets and delivery timelines, the panellists said.

They highlighted the growing need for stronger project planning, procurement discipline and stakeholder collaboration to improve the delivery of road infrastructure across Nigeria. Effective road project delivery starts long before construction begins, with realistic scheduling, risk identification and clear project preparation helping to prevent costly disruptions.

Productivity is driven by coordination, the panellists argued. Successful projects depend not only on speed, but also on efficient resource management, quality assurance and effective communication between all project stakeholders. Closer alignment between clients, consultants, contractors and suppliers is essential for managing delivery challenges and improving project outcomes.

Closing the Execution Gap

In his presentation on closing the execution gap, Moses Omuetha, founder and CEO of Tribease, agreed that a successful plan does not automatically lead to successful execution. Projects often struggle because the connection between plans, people, vendors, decisions, deadlines and individual responsibilities is not managed as one coordinated system, he said.

Fragmented project information creates a hidden coordination cost. Updates spread across calls, messages, voice notes, spreadsheets, emails and different document versions force teams to spend valuable time searching, reconfirming decisions and correcting miscommunication.

Accountability should be embedded in day-to-day execution, Omuetha stated. Decisions should be converted into actions with clear owners and deadlines, while teams should establish predictable reporting rhythms and focus management attention on the issues that are genuinely blocking progress.

Preventing Building Collapses

Panellists discussing the prevention of building collapses in Nigeria echoed the sentiment of project coordination, stating that clear and consistent processes across design, approvals, construction, supervision and inspection are critical to improving quality and reducing risk. Those on the panel included executives from Safety Consultants and Solution Providers, LADOL Free Zone, Ove Arup & Partners Nigeria and Eko Atlantic City Management.

Preventing building collapse requires the industry to first identify where failures occur, establish standardised ways of working and rethink existing practices, the speakers noted. Strong policy must set the foundation, but lasting change will depend on translating that policy into consistent action across the construction process.

Digital Transformation

On the role of geographic information systems (GIS), data and digital workflows in the Nigerian construction sector, Tobi Sowole, CEO of SpatialMatrix, said digital transformation in construction depends on strong governance and not technology alone. GIS, trusted data and coordinated workflows must work together to improve decision-making.

Fragmented approval systems and disconnected project records continue to create delays, conflicting decisions and increased project risk, he said, noting that a shared digital ecosystem can improve transparency, accountability and coordination across planning, permitting, inspections and compliance processes.

Beyond BIM

A panel discussion titled ‘Beyond BIM: Exploring AI and digital tools in project delivery’ identified a key challenge as moving building information modelling (BIM) beyond presentations, strategies and isolated use cases towards consistent application throughout the project lifecycle. The panellists represented various companies including Awarri, TANIT Medical Engineering, Rhema Project BCEGI Company, ADLM Studio and WeConstructHub.

The discussion explored how artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging digital tools could improve planning, coordination, cost management and decision-making, while emphasising that introducing new technology will have limited impact if existing digital processes are not fully embedded. The panellists reinforced the need for the industry to shift its focus from awareness to adoption, with organisations demonstrating tangible value through practical implementation, measurable outcomes and real project applications.

Top photo: Big 5 Construct Nigeria (Source: LinkedIn @ dmg events)