Former registrar, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Dr Felix Atume, has called for improved Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to boost infrastructure development and enhance economic growth in the country.
He spoke at the Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAEng) 2025 yearly lecture entitled: 鈥淏ridging infrastructure gap in Nigeria: the role of private sector,鈥 in Lagos.
Atume argued that Nigeria and many other African countries have not been able to sustain economic growth because of poor infrastructure stressing that poor infrastructure and inadequate infrastructure services are among the major factors thathinder the continent鈥檚 development.
He emphasised that the Public Private Partrnenstip is a viable concept that can close the infrastructure deficit in Nigeria. However, he said in involving the private sector, basic questions must be answered such as- is the project included in a pipeline of nationally sanctioned strategic infrastructure rojects?
鈥淚f the answer is yes, it helps determine whether the project is likely to be supported by stakeholders, ministries or agencies. This calls for careful plarning and prioritisation of key intrastructure projects at both the federal and state levels.
Political risk is difficult to manage, especially in Nigeria where there are regular changes in governments.
He pointed out that the Nigerian PPP institutional architecture suffers frrom weak coordination, land acquisition challenges, corruption and lack of transparency, political instability and excessive institutional bureaucracy, overlapping responsibilities among government andagencies, which often protract approval processes.
According to him, inadequate technical expertise to design,evaluate, and manage PPP contracts also lead to significant delays, increased transaction costs, and reduce investors鈥 interest.
In a goodwill message, the Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, represented by the commissioner for education, Prof Abubakar Sambo, urged the NAEng to remain committed towards promoting excellence and advancement of engineering science, practice, and technology and related disciplines to bridge the huge infrastructure gap in the country.
Addressing the forum, the President of NAEng, Prof. Rahamon Bello, commended the Federal government for its bold Infrastructure initiatives and the recent Local Content Policy of the government.
He said for the infrastructural development to be sustainable, indigenous ownership and replicability is essential andtherefore called on Mr. President for deliberate policy to support the development of indigenous engineering enterprises and groups that can make this sustainable.
鈥淎nother area requiring urgent attention is infrastructure maintenance. Over the years, it has become obvious that it is not enough to just put up infrastructure, adequate provisions must be made for its maintenance, else there will be continuing repeated expenditure on the same projects.
鈥淲e urge both thegovernment and the National Assembly to come up with a robust strategy and provision for maintenance of our infrastructure annually, be it roads, buildings, dams,鈥 he said.
He noted that a project that has been in the burner for the Academy over the years is the resuscitation of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), adding that a few years ago, the Academy embarked on a pilotinitiative at the Federal Science and Technical School, Yaba, with the support of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
The scheme, he revealed highlighted the urgent need to correct the inverted engineering manpowerpyramid in Nigeria which has led to the dearth of skilled artisans and technicians over the years.
鈥淲e commend the federal government鈥檚 recent commitment to skill development for the teaming youths of the nation, a step that will boost economic growth and national productivity.
The Nigerian Academy of Engineering will continue its advocacy and activities for the promotion of TVET through the Joint Consuitative Committee (JCC) formed under the recently signed Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MoU) with four institutions: TETFund, NSE, COREN, and NBTE.鈥
He also assured that Nigerian Academy of Engineering will continue to be a Think Tank, advancing and promoting Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation in Nigeria.
The forum attracted presentation life achievement awards to eight fellows who have attained the age of 75 and induction of 12 new fellows. They include Engr. Dr. Abubakar Abu Adama, Engr. Chukwuwike Chigbo Iluno, Engr. (Mrs.) Nnoli Akpedeye, Engr. Saidu Aliyu Mohammed, Engr. Dr. Ismaila Mohammed Amodu, Engr. Dr. Adeolu Olarewaju Odusote, and Engr. Lamu Audu.
Others are Engr. George Chukwulewa Okoroma, Engr. Dr. Ezekiel Bababunmi COKER, Engr. Eric Chiwuike Onyewu, Engr. Prof. Akoehomen Okonigbon Aki Ibhadode and Engr. Dr. (Mrs) Iniobong Louisa Usoro.