In a decisive move to address Nigeria’s growing infrastructure challenges, the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology has signed a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at driving innovation, strengthening monitoring systems, and promoting climate-resilient infrastructure nationwide.
At the high-level ceremony held in Abuja, the Honourable Minister, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, described the signing as a “pivotal moment” not just for the Ministry or its collaborators, but for the entire Nigerian nation.
“Anyone who has travelled our roads or witnessed the silent decay of buildings knows that the cracks in our infrastructure are no longer hidden they are daily headlines,” the Minister stated. “This MOU is not just paperwork it is a promise.”
The agreement, signed in partnership with COREN, COMEG, CORBON, and technical consultants Tectonics Engineering Group, will deploy a science-based national framework for construction oversight. This includes the use of AI-powered inspections, satellite geospatial tools, real-time structural stress monitoring, and smart building materials all intended to enhance the integrity, safety, and resilience of infrastructure projects across the country.
According to Chief Nnaji, the partnership aims to:
Eliminate the use of substandard construction materials
Enforce proper geotechnical and engineering surveys
Establish a data-driven inspection and enforcement mechanism
Institutionalize climate-resilient construction models
“This is not about more bureaucracy,” the Minister emphasized. “It is about more accountability elevating professional engineering practice from fragmented efforts to a unified national movement.”
The MOU is also in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, particularly focusing on pillars of infrastructure development, economic competitiveness, and national cohesion.
Stakeholders present at the signing including directors, DGs, and leaders of Nigeria’s top engineering regulatory bodies praised the initiative as a bold and much-needed step toward curbing the alarming trend of infrastructure collapse in the country.
The Honourable Minister concluded his remarks by asserting that this MOU marks the beginning of a national transformation. “We are not just building roads or bridges we are building confidence, dignity, and the future,” he declared.
