Nigeria promotes local content in construction industry

The Minister of Water Resources, Mr. Suleiman Adamu, has said that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a new policy to localise operations and materials used in Nigeria’s construction industry, Adamu stated this at the 28th edition of the annual Archibuilt Conference and Exhibition, organised by the Nigerian Institute of Architects held recently in Abuja.

He explained that the new policy would improve the application of local contents including materials, personnel, and skills in Nigeria’s construction industry and would give indigenous manufacturers of construction materials in the sector some advantages over foreign competition. The minister also said that the government would check the influx of foreign construction materials into the country, as well as skills.

He stated that the new policy would be implemented by the ministry of Science and Technology, saying it would give Nigerians in the construction industry the leverage to rise and dominate activities therein with minimal competition from foreign parties.

“Three or four weeks ago, this administration came up with a very important policy which has not been given more attention. We passed a policy on local content in the entire construction industry at the Federal Executive Council.

By that we intend to encourage not only consultants to rise through the value chain in the construction industry but also manufacturers, so that a lot of emphasis will be put on Nigerians, that we can develop our skills and strengths in such a way that we will dominate activities in the construction industry.”