Nigeria can build smart infrastructure despite economic uncertainty — Expert

A United States-based construction and housing expert, Adepeju Sanusi, has said that Nigeria can build smart infrastructure despite the endemic economic uncertainty in the country, emphasizing that national infrastructure development requires smart approaches.

Sanusi, a graduate researcher at The Catholic University of America, Washington D.C., and a construction project management professional, stressed that every project needs robust planning as a fundamental principle for developing innovative solutions. She noted that “projects must rely on practical feasibility studies while maintaining open budgeting, clear timelines, and strong risk management systems.”

She lamented that most infrastructure projects in Nigeria are often initiated based on political schedules rather than technical assessments, which “results in projects that appear impressive on election flyers but fail after implementation.”

According to her, Nigeria’s national development goals will continue to depend on the sustainability of large-scale projects during this period of uncertainty, as it has become an essential necessity.

She maintained that nations aligning their goals with intelligent planning and combining their size with resilience will dominate the future. To achieve its objectives, Nigeria must shift its focus from merely constructing large-scale projects to developing smart infrastructure that leads to long-term progress.

Sanusi said, “Technology provides infrastructure projects with a powerful method to achieve smarter delivery outcomes.” She added that digital construction platforms, such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), enable project managers to develop more effective simulations, planning, and coordination tools.

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“Project monitoring through real-time data helps detect problems early while minimizing waste and enhancing accountability. Adopting such innovative solutions would substantially reduce construction delays and cost overruns in the industry sector,” she explained.

She further noted that public-private partnerships represent an effective strategy for infrastructure development, ensuring that contracts are respected, disputes are resolved fairly, and political shifts or bureaucratic delays do not affect returns.

“Attracting the necessary project capital depends heavily on improving legal structures, simplifying approval procedures, and enhancing oversight mechanisms. Local materials are essential for all infrastructure projects. Relying on imported building materials and foreign expertise makes projects vulnerable to external market disruptions,” she added.

Sanusi highlighted that Nigeria has sufficient human resources, natural wealth, and entrepreneurial capacity to support domestic construction through local production and workforce employment.

“Developing local construction skills, fostering homegrown innovation, and growing domestic supply chains will reduce expenses and drive economic expansion. The most essential component of building intelligent solutions involves community participation,” she said.

She emphasized that infrastructure projects ignoring community voices often face opposition, leading to court disputes or unmet expectations. Therefore, every development phase should incorporate transparency and dialogue with stakeholders in the affected areas. “Building trust with community members generates both economic value and practical benefits,” she added.

Sanusi remarked that Nigeria demonstrates its national ambition through large infrastructure projects, such as railways, highways, seaports, and industrial parks, which drive economic growth, improve connectivity, and boost global competitiveness. However, she warned that while these projects symbolize modernization, cost overruns, funding shortages, and legal issues often cause Nigeria to miss its infrastructure goals.

“The current global economic turmoil requires Nigeria to reassess its approach to managing major projects. Large-scale infrastructure initiatives come with substantial financial risks and require extensive strategic planning, significant funding support, collaboration among multiple stakeholders, and flexibility to adapt to changes,” she advised.

Sanusi observed that Nigeria’s infrastructure landscape is littered with unfinished flyovers, suspended rail tracks, abandoned building projects, and underutilized public facilities. These issues stem from inadequate planning, weak oversight, and disjointed governance and policy execution.

She explained that mega projects are facing increasing difficulties due to the current global economic climate. “Post-pandemic realities have brought unprecedented uncertainty. Rising inflation, volatile currency exchange rates, and supply chain disruptions have escalated material costs and complicated project timelines,” she said.

Sanusi noted that Nigeria’s situation is even more critical because most construction materials are imported, making projects more susceptible to external market disruptions. Initial project feasibility is now undermined by escalating costs and funding challenges, resulting in delays or downsizing.

She also stressed the growing impact of climate change, urging Nigerian states to prioritize infrastructure systems that combine strength with resilience. “Sustainability must evolve from being a buzzword to becoming a core element of national infrastructure planning,” she said.

“Nigeria needs to decide how to proceed with building major infrastructure projects—not whether to proceed. The need is urgent. To achieve its development goals, the nation requires better roads, energy systems, water networks, schools, hospitals, and housing,” Sanusi concluded.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE