$10billion needed to fix infrastructure decay in Nigeria- Stakeholders

With the recurring incidences of building collapse in the country and deadly portholes on the nation’s roads, stakeholders have proffered that Nigeria will need over $10 billion to bridge infrastructure decay in the country.
Speaking at a seminar organised by Axion Global Engineering Limited, a leading producer of Axion bitumen booster, Axion Tuffcrete and Axion solid base stabilizer, construction experts and members of the Nigeria Society of Engineers said there is urgent need to curb the spate by leveraging on comparative advantages of innovative products that would extend the lifespan of road networks.
The experts and producers of the products attested that the products would help build structures that would last in the country and correct road infrastructural deficits, adding that they are working with the federal Ministry of works and the Nigeria Society of Engineers to revamp roads and housing system in Nigeria.
Speaking to journalists on the sideline of the event held in Lagos recently, the Managing Director, David Wilson, said with the infrastructure gap in the country, Nigeria needs about $10billion to stay competitive while adding that Axion aligned with the new technology that would reduce surfacing cost, time and bring more economic advantage to foreign investors in the country.
He said: ‘’Our purpose is to show prospects to buyers in the Nigerian market that our products would help the environment in Nigeria, the way the environment is, we are convinced that our products would enhance the country in other to achieve durable and quality roads and housing. Our products would help road maintenance and there will be no need for interlock blocks.”
Mr. Duncan Mighty, an Engineer from Rivers State also attested to the quality of the products.
He said that he was one of the engineers that used Axion to build a hanging swimming pool in Portharcourt, adding that the products had given him opportunities to leverage more in the construction industry.
In the same vein, Sony Emeka Ali, lamented that quackery is one of the causes of building collapse in Nigeria. “Those who lost their jobs overnight have become architects and structural engineers in the building industry. They use lesser reinforcements to build houses and it needs to be checked,” he said. He noted that there should be quality assurance test for all the materials used in the construction sector.