Nigeria FG targets 40% local content in road projects by 2015

ABUJA —In line with the Nigerian Content Act 2010, the Federal Government yesterday set a target of 40 percent participation of indigenous companies in construction works and other contracts in the country by 2015.

Minister of Works, Arch Mike Onolememen, made the promise when he received members of Nigerian Society of Engineers .

He said: “It is my dream that before l leave office as the Minister of Works, we would have attained 40 percent local content in construction works in terms of project execution in this country

“Our engineers should not just be contented with little supervision or consultancy jobs. They should endevaour to go beyond that.

“Our engineers should be able to come together and form large companies that will have the required resources and manpower base to be able to compete with the foreign multinational companies.

“What baffles me was that, having traversed the length and breathe of this country, visiting project sites, l found out that Nigerians are the ones that are truly engaged in the actual construction processes.”

The ministry, he assured, would be ready to assist indigenous companies to ensure that they had a fair participation in Federal Government projects.

He told them: “If it is access to funds or machinery and equipment, with good organisation and coordination, we can overcome those challenges. I challenge the Nigerian Society of Engineers on this.

“NSE can collaborate with the Ministry of Works and the ministry will be willing to collaborate with you to deal with some of those problems and provide you with the necessary opportunities to allow local companies showcase their capacities.”

Speaking earlier, NSE President, Engr Olumuyiwa Ajibola, said the local construction companies could be allowed to increase capacity overtime if they were carried along in Federal Government projects.

Ajibola said: “The minister should carry the Nigerian Local Content reform agenda to the road construction sector such that the construction sector can perform miracle of providing sustainable Nigerian construction companies thereby increasing project capacity and employment through the on-going infrastructure expansion”.

-BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU 

Source: Vanguard