Lagos The sixth edition of Big 5 Construct Nigeria the country's largest construction event opened Tuesday at the Landmark Centre, Lagos, connecting international expertise to Nigeria's $54 billion construction market.
The event, which runs until September 24, was inaugurated by Engr. Valerie Ifueko Agberagba, Deputy President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), and is hosting over 170 exhibitors from more than 20 countries with over 10,000 attendees expected.
The opening ceremony drew top diplomats and trade chiefs, including Ahmed Abdelfatah, Acting Executive Director, Export Council for Building Materials, Egypt; Alessandro Okigbo, Trade Analyst, ITA Lagos; Andrea Perugini, Commercial Attaché, Embassy of Italy; Iacopo Foti, Acting Ambassador of Italy to Nigeria; Maurizio Ferri, Director, ITA Lagos; Erdal Fatih Tozoğlu, Turkish Commercial Attaché; and Dr. Michael Halim Tawadros, President, Egyptian Community in Nigeria.
Leading brands on the exhibition floor include Mikano International, Saint-Gobain, CDK Integrated, Bifem Paralu, Asian Paints, Abumet, Bosch and Dalal Steel Industries, showcasing solutions from power generation and building materials to facades, coatings and construction technology.
Commenting on the opening, Josine Heijmans, Senior Vice President, dmg events, said:
“Being Africa’s most populous country, Nigeria continues to attract significant opportunities across its construction landscape and the energy we're seeing on the opening day reflects that momentum. There is a clear appetite for new connections, expertise and opportunities.”
Big 5 Talks: Hard Truths On Delivery
Alongside the exhibition, over 30 CPD-certified Big 5 Talks are running across three days, focusing on market realities, delivery risks and cost pressures.
In her opening keynote on “Nigeria’s construction outlook 2026,” Engr. Agberagba said Nigeria does not lack demand.
“Nigeria's construction outlook for 2026 is not waiting for demand - the demand is already there. It is our collective capacity to deliver,” she said. “We must move from a pipeline of ideas to a pipeline of bankable, executable and maintainable assets.”
Citing Nigeria's 232 million population, rising urbanization and the ₦23.9 trillion capital expenditure budget for power, transport and water in 2025, she said the sector suffers not from lack of projects but from lack of completed and maintained projects, urging a shift from a "building-led" to "development-led" mindset.
On risk, Bldr. Adetunji Adeniran, Registrar/Secretary, Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), warned that risks fester when ignored.
“Risks don't disappear because you ignore them. If anything, they fester and take you unawares,” he said, mapping exposures from global shocks like the Russia-Ukraine war driving steel and diesel prices, to local cement supply shocks. He called for clear governance, named risk owners, live risk registers and a single source of project information.
A high-level panel on road projects moderated by Omikunle Abiodun of Deloitte Nigeria brought together Engr. Aramide Adeyoye, CEO ABM Infrastructure Advisory; Oluwatimilehin Adegoke, Head of Construction, Alexander Arthur; QS Timilehin Idowu, Palton Morgan; and Wale Bamgbelu, Orion Consulting, to dissect cost escalation, material availability and delivery risks.
Speaking on their participation, Abimbola Onagbade, Head Brand and Marketing Communications, CDK Integrated, Platinum Sponsor, said: “Big 5 Construct Nigeria gives us an opportunity to engage directly with industry professionals, showcase our new design collections and build new relationships.”
The event is supported by Bifem Paralu (Silver Sponsor), Bosch (Bronze), Confam (Big 5 Talks Silver), Dalal Steel Industries (Lanyard Sponsor), with CIOB, Green Building Council Nigeria, BIM Africa and NIQS as Supporting Associations and PMI Nigeria as Knowledge Partner.
Big 5 Construct Nigeria is free for trade professionals aged 18 and above and ends September 24.
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