First edition of AfricaBuild 2016 exceeded all expectations
The importance of this new annual event for the building and interior industry under the slogan “Adding value to the modernization of the Nigerian building industry” was underlined by speakers from politics, trade and industry.
In her speech the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure of Lagos State, E. Omokore, underlined that the evolution of the Built Environment cannot be separated from that of building materials and available technologies: “I will use this opportunity to charge the professionals in the built environment to see how a forum like this could help ameliorate the menace of collapse buildings which is traceable to poor quality and inappropriate use of building materials amongst other factors.”
The Head of Delegation and Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Michel Arrion, expressed: “We are all aware that the significant fall in global oil prices has more than ever reinforced the need for more diversification from oil and raw material export to more elaborated, more productive, and more service-oriented sectors of the economy. This is where the construction industry can play a crucial role. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the construction sector accounted for only 3.5 % of GDP as at 2014. However, between 2011 and 2014, the sector grew by 67 %. So though the sector still represents a small part of the GDP, the potential to increase this share is enormous.”
The second edition of AfricaBuild will take place from 14 to 16 February 2017.
