Nigeria needs $100 billion a year for infrastructure
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on ThisDay
Illustrative image · Ahmad Balarabe · Pexels · Licence PexelsNigeria would need about $100 billion in annual investment to address an infrastructure deficit estimated at $2.3 trillion, according to Kunle Adebajo, president of the Association of Consulting Engineers of Nigeria. At the association’s annual conference in Lagos, he also presented artificial intelligence as a tool to accelerate projects and reduce errors.
Nigeria needs to mobilise about $100 billion a year to address its infrastructure deficit estimated at $2.3 trillion, said Kunle Adebajo, president of the Association of Consulting Engineers of Nigeria (ACEN), at the organisation’s 48th annual conference in Lagos, reports ThisDay.
According to Kunle Adebajo, public spending covers less than 30% of annual infrastructure needs. He believes artificial intelligence can accelerate engineering processes, improve project planning and reduce errors, notably through analysis of construction schedules, checks on road and drainage designs, and the detection of structural defects using drones and computer vision.
ACEN plans to create a working group on artificial intelligence in consulting engineering to oversee its adoption, particularly regarding confidentiality, verification of results and professional responsibility, according to ThisDay. Adebajo nevertheless stressed that engineers’ judgement must be maintained for decisions made using these tools.
The president of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Sadiq Abubakar, also indicated that the regulator aims for Nigeria to become a permanent member of the International Engineering Alliance by June 2027, ThisDay reported. COREN vice-president Olaoluwa Ogunduyile was speaking on his behalf at the conference.
