By BODE OPESEITAN
We have cancer eating at the soul of our nation—one that drains our wealth, stifles our talent, and insults our potential.
Since the Tinubu administration began, Nigeria has transformed into a massive construction site. Abandoned projects are being revived; new roads, bridges, and infrastructure are rising. Yet, beneath this progress lies an unsettling reality: the near-total dominance of foreign contractors in major projects.
From Lagos to Abuja, Zamfara to Enugu, our leaders still act as if Nigerian expertise is inferior. The ratio? An unconscionable 9:1 preference for foreign firms over homegrown talent on major projects, by my estimation. This is not just poor judgment—it’s a betrayal of our people.
But here’s the irony: the same Nigerian contractors we ignore are the ones who deliver faster, cheaper, and with greater impact.
The Nigerian Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) found that indigenous contractors were 20–25% MORE cost-effective—saving billions by leveraging local knowledge and lower overheads.
A World Bank study (2018) proved local firms create 40–60% MORE jobs—lifting communities out of poverty.
PwC Nigeria (2021) revealed local contractors finish projects 15–20% FASTER, avoiding the delays foreign firms face due to community disputes.
So why the obsession with outsiders?
It’s time to BELIEVE in Nigeria—by BUILDING with Nigerians.
The success of Planet Projects, the indigenous firm behind Lagos’s iconic Oshodi Interchange, proves what happens when Nigerian leaders take a bold bet on local talent. Without former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s vision, that world-class project would have gone to yet another foreign firm.
We don’t lack capacity—we lack TRUST.
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Here are some of the benefits of using local contractors:
Economic empowerment—keeping billions within Nigeria.
Faster delivery—no endless delays from expatriate bottlenecks.
Job creation—lifting millions out of unemployment.
Stronger Naira—reducing forex pressure from repatriated profits.
This is a NATIONAL EMERGENCY.
Our leaders must stop outsourcing Nigeria’s future. Instead, they should:
* Identify high-potential indigenous contractors
* Provide loan guarantees & financial support to enable local contractors upgrade their equipment
* Enforce local content laws with TEETH. Administrative penalties and transparent monitoring could enhance compliance.
The talent is HERE. The solutions are HERE. The money should STAY HERE.
It’s time to BELIEVE in Nigeria—by BUILDING with Nigerians.
