NSE BLAMES POOR PLANNING AND PROCUREMENT FOR PROJECT FAILURES

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The Nigerian Society of Engineers has identified poor planning, weak procurement processes and inadequate maintenance as major factors contributing to the failure of infrastructure projects in Nigeria.

The Deputy President of NSE, Valerie Agberagba, spoke at Big 5 Construct Nigeria in Lagos, where she discussed the challenges facing the country’s construction sector.

Agberagba said Nigeria had a large pipeline of projects but faced difficulties in converting proposed projects into properly financed, completed and maintained infrastructure.

She said projects should pass through key stages including needs assessment, feasibility studies, business cases, design, stakeholder engagement, financing, procurement, construction and maintenance.

According to her, approving projects before completing the necessary planning and feasibility work could contribute to delays, cost increases and eventual failure.

She also identified high financing costs, inadequate energy supply, transportation challenges, taxes and regulatory bottlenecks as issues affecting project delivery.

Agberagba said population growth and urbanisation were increasing demand for housing, electricity, transport, water and industrial infrastructure.

She urged stakeholders to adopt a development-led approach that considers market demand, land, planning, utilities, financing, construction and long-term maintenance rather than focusing only on putting up structures.

The NSE official also called on contractors to maintain professional standards and avoid compromising construction quality in an effort to reduce costs and increase profits.