Stakeholders in Nigeria’s infrastructure sector have identified poor project execution, weak governance and regulatory shortcomings as major obstacles to efforts to close the country’s infrastructure gap.
The stakeholders said addressing the infrastructure challenge would require more than increased financial allocations, stressing that better planning, stronger oversight and improved project management were equally important to ensuring that infrastructure investments translate into completed and functional projects.
They raised the concerns during a recent discussion on infrastructure project delivery, where experts examined the challenges confronting the sector and possible ways of improving project outcomes.
Poor planning and delays
Stakeholders pointed to several factors affecting infrastructure delivery, including rising project costs, delays in completion, changes in project scope, procurement challenges and inadequate risk management.
They argued that when projects are poorly planned from the outset, contractors and government agencies often face difficulties that can lead to delays and increased costs.
According to the stakeholders, proper feasibility studies, realistic budgets and clearly defined project requirements should form the foundation of major infrastructure projects.
They also stressed the importance of monitoring projects from commencement to completion rather than waiting until problems have become difficult or expensive to correct.
Regulation remains a major concern
Weak regulatory enforcement was another issue highlighted by the stakeholders.
They maintained that effective regulation was necessary to ensure that infrastructure projects complied with approved standards and that contractors remained accountable for the quality of their work.
The stakeholders also emphasised the need for closer cooperation among regulatory agencies, government institutions, contractors, consultants and other professionals involved in project delivery.
Without effective coordination, they said, regulatory requirements could become difficult to enforce while project responsibilities become blurred.
Funding alone cannot solve the problem
The stakeholders acknowledged that financing remains an important component of infrastructure development but argued that additional funding would have limited impact if projects continued to suffer from poor preparation and execution.
Nigeria’s infrastructure financing needs are substantial, with stakeholders at a 2026 infrastructure dialogue estimating the country’s infrastructure gap at about $2.3 trillion and calling for greater mobilisation of private capital and public-private partnerships.
They therefore called for an approach that combines financing with stronger project preparation, transparent procurement, effective supervision and reliable regulatory systems.
Greater accountability demanded
The stakeholders further called for greater accountability throughout the infrastructure project cycle.
They said government agencies and contractors should be held responsible for meeting agreed specifications, budgets and completion schedules.
They also stressed that completed infrastructure must be properly maintained to protect public investment and prevent facilities from deteriorating shortly after completion.
PPPs could provide additional support
Stakeholders also identified public-private partnerships as one avenue for increasing infrastructure investment, particularly as government budgets face competing demands.
However, they said attracting private investors would require a predictable regulatory environment, transparent processes and properly prepared projects.
Nigeria’s Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission has similarly identified clear guidelines and an enabling environment as important conditions for attracting private capital through public-private partnerships.
Need for stronger project culture
The stakeholders ultimately called for a shift from simply announcing and funding infrastructure projects to building a stronger culture of project preparation, execution, supervision and maintenance.
They maintained that reducing Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit would require sustained investment alongside institutional reforms that improve how projects are selected, contracted, implemented and monitored.
For them, the challenge is not simply how much money is committed to infrastructure, but how effectively that money is converted into durable roads, bridges, housing, water systems, power infrastructure and other facilities needed to support economic growth.
The stakeholders urged governments and industry players to strengthen accountability and regulatory enforcement while adopting better project management practices to ensure that infrastructure spending produces lasting value.
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