Nigeria may thrive in starting out projects, but on a number of notable occasions, it faces the challenge of continuity and sustainability. This attribute is important to economic growth and until we resort to breaking the trend of stopping halfway, there is only a limit we can reach as a nation.
Projects like National Stadium in Lagos, Tiga Dam and Power Station, and the Lagos-Kano railway line which was abandoned for a long while have been rehabilitated, but some projects still lay abandoned or underutilized. They include;
- Ajaokuta Steel Company
Built on 24,000-hectare land, Ajaokuta Steel Company, located in Ajokuta, Kogi State, sits at the top of projects in Nigeria that have been underutilized tremendously and left to deteriorate.
Work on Ajaokuta Steel Company started in 1979 under President Shehu Shagari. By the time of his removal from office in 1983, the mill was 84% completed and reached 98% completion in 1994, with 40 of the 43 plants at the facility completed. However, since then, the steel factory has remained incomplete and unutilized. It is the largest steel mill in Nigeria, and its coke oven and by-products plant is the largest of all refineries in Nigeria combined. Hence, it is tragic that its contribution to the economy, standard of living, and development in Nigeria is poor.
Today most of its plants and equipment sit in rust, dust, and cobwebs.
2. Confluence Beach Hotel
Originally built in 1999 by the Kogi state government to serve as a resort center for both local and international visitors to relax and view the confluence of the popular Nigeria rivers, River Niger, and Benue, the hotel’s structure now sits at the bank of the river, abandoned and in ruins.
The planning process for the resort was flawed from the onset. A crucial oversight was understanding the resort’s location on the floodplain of the river. Given this vulnerability, it was imperative to implement measures that would safeguard the entire space in the event of a flood. Regrettably, the state failed to employ innovative and sustainable-thinking strategies that would have showcased this significant national feature to the world while ensuring the protection and continuity of the resort.
3. Olokola LNG Terminal
Olokola LNG Terminal was a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and international oil companies. The project, which was proposed in 2005, aimed to establish a major LNG export facility in Cross River State. There have been no developments and the project is presumed to be canceled.
NNPC held a 49.5% stake, while Shell and Chevron, had 18.5%. While the UK’s BG Group held a 13.5% stake. Notably, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed in 2005, followed by an investors’ agreement in 2007.
However, in 2009, the BG Group withdrew from the project, and then in August 2013, Shell and Chevron also pulled out, leaving NNPC as the sole shareholder of the venture. The decision of these companies was reportedly influenced by the lack of progress in the project, multiplied by unfavorable gas prices at that time.
4. Ibom Blue Sea Science and Technology Park
Ibom Science and Technology Park, which was later called Ibom Blue Sea Science and Technology Park, is located in Akwa Ibom State and was intended to be a technology hub and innovation center equivalent to Silicon Valley in California. It was meant to be the solution to youth unemployment in Akwa Ibom, the project was abandoned after the former Governor Victor Attah left office in 2007.
5. Nigerian External Communications (NECOM) Building, Lagos
The NECOM or NET building is an imposing structure standing at 520 feet (160 meters) with 32 floors. It is located in Marina, Lagos, and was initially intended to serve as the headquarters of the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited. However, since its completion in 1979, it has suffered two fires, one in 1983 and the other in 2015.
According to The Guardian newspaper, more than 56,000 projects worth 12 trillion nairas ($2.73 billion), have been abandoned in Nigeria in the past 20 years. More than embarking on a mega project, the sustainability and continual growth of that project are more meaningful.
A major reason for the failure of many projects in Nigeria is improper planning and inefficient innovative management. As the popular scripture in the Bible addresses the issue, it is important that the cost of embarking on a project is ascertained before it is carried out.
