Opportunity beckons for knowledge sharing with Africa’s construction industry front-runners

For stakeholders and knowledge seekers in Africa’s construction industry and infrastructure development, a unique opportunity is here as The African Construction Expo and Totally Concrete West Africa 2015 is gearing up for an exceptional event where experts from Nigeria and abroad will address the fundamental needs of infrastructure expansion in the continent. The event which is already slated for the first three days of September in Lagos, Nigeria, promises insightful conferences and seminars that will be featuring high profile and renowned  industry professionals who will be bringing their wealth of experience to bear on the discussions.

Hypenica Pty Ltd, organisers of the event, assured in a statement in Lagos that the pre-conference day on Tuesday, September 1, offers technical enthusiasts the opportunity of a lifetime to attend the most comprehensive cement and concrete seminar in the region.

“With the support from various associations and institutions such as Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, delegates will hear directly from high profile figures such as Vincent Nawani, the chamber’s director of research and advocacy”, said Leanca Bennett, Hypenica’s Project Manager, Marketing.

Nawani will be steering the discussion around developing the local cement market to keep up with the region’s high urbanisation rates. This discussion takes place in the company of cement and concrete industry giants with years of technical expertise and experience such as Kunle Adebajo, CEO of Ove Arup & Partners and Joseph Majoku, President of the Cement Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (CMAN).

“At the core, we remain passionate about delivering technical expertise in the infrastructure space, but we are also aware of our responsibility to transfer our knowledge and skills. This event is a great platform to do so,” said Adebajo.

International speakers such as Michael Clark, founder of Whitehopelman in the UK, brings international best practice lessons to Lagos, as he offers a workshop on the improvement and modernisation of plant processes in cement production.

The conference days, September 2 and 3, will be drawing attention to the strategic discussions that are crucial in a year of governmental change in Nigeria and Olumide Eniola Akinduro, Director of the Federal Ministry of Works, will be sharing his views on Nigeria’s development ambitions for 2030 in the first panel discussion of the conference.

The Nigerian Institute of Civil Engineers (NICE) remains the institute for Nigeria’s top engineers who are shaping the infrastructure landscape. The chairman of the institute, Robbie James Owivry, will extend his internationally acclaimed expertise in the must-attend session on the rise of megacities in West Africa.

Also to look out for in this ‘What’s Hot’ session is Bode Kware, the immediate past National President of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) who will discuss Lagos’ housing potential and pitfalls while Anthony Offenberg, General Manager of MAPEI, will bring his technical expertise on advances in concrete protection to improve water retaining structures in the context of urbanisation and bulk infrastructure development.

The final conference day kicks off in the same way that almost every construction project does, by focussing on how to access capital, encouraging investment and understanding risk when undertaking construction projects in Nigeria and in the region.

CHUKA UROKO