By: Adesina Gbadebo - Power & Grid Segment, West Africa and Funmi Adepegba, Key Account Manager, Property Developers & Contractors: Buildings at Schneider Electric

For decades, the modernisation of West Africa’s building sector has been driven by international investments and foreign expertise. Granted, while this influx has accelerated development, it has also left the region with conundrum; how do you continue to bolster growth without comprising on localisation and the resultant growth of indigenous talent? 

The good news is, the region is starting to find middle ground of sorts, with a growing recognition that sustainable modernisation cannot exist without local empowerment. 

Indeed, by establishing an industry that encourages the collaboration between governments, private enterprises, and international partners, West Africa can create a thriving ecosystem. And importantly, one where local expertise not only participates but leads the transformation of its built environment.

Overcoming challenges 

However,  in order to establish the abovementioned middle ground, there are several structural and systemic barriers that need to be overcome.

• Skills gap -.without specialised technical education in areas such as automation, energy efficiency, and digital building management, many skilled workers remain underutilised.
• Funding and scale - local construction companies often lack the capital and scale to compete with large international contractors that dominate high-value projects.
• Perception bias - the belief that foreign expertise continues to undermine confidence in regional capabilities, even when local professionals demonstrate comparable competence

To overcome these challenges, a stronger alignment between government policies and private sector ambitions must be established. For one, encouraging partnerships between foreign and local companies will not only have monetary benefits but also ensure the transfer of vital skills and technology as well as project ownership.

Also, policymakers can introduce fiscal incentives to reward companies investing in local skill development, research, and innovation. Furthermore, dedicating financing channels for local SMEs—such as low-interest loans and grant schemes—would go a long way in assisting them with both capacity and competence scaling.

The success stories

The good news is that despite challenges, there are already tangible success stories which makes a firm argument for localisation in the West Africa building industry.

Developments Nigeria such as Eko Atlantic City, Grarimpa Estate in Abuja, Amen Estate in Lagos, Jabi Lake Mall in Abuja, and Rainbow Town in Port Harcourt showcase successful collaboration between international investors and domestic firms.

Local contractors like ITB Nigeria Ltd, Arkland Properties, and South Energyx Nigeria Ltd, have been instrumental in delivering these projects, demonstrating that local participation not only drives project success but also nurtures community ownership and national pride.

Also, in other parts of the region like Ghana’s Appolonia City and Makola Market revamp, Senegal’s Taf City and Côte d’Ivoire’s NEULANDT precast factory, local projects are demonstrating how public-private partnerships and local expertise can deliver affordable housing, modern infrastructure, and local growth.

Indeed, prioritising local involvement also ensures that modern buildings are more than just structures, they become reflections of local identity, climate, and culture. Also, architects and engineers bring deep contextual knowledge of materials, weather conditions, and social patterns, resulting in designs that are functional, affordable, and climate-resilience.

Moreover, sourcing materials locally reduces environmental impact and supports circular economic practices. With local professionals involved in every stage of development, maintenance and operations become more sustainable, ensuring long-term viability and adaptability.

Building the ecosystem

A robust support framework is vital for nurturing and empowering local enterprises in the modernisation sector:

• Industry Associations help set standards, accreditation, and advocacy for local professionals.
• Vocational and Technical Institutions provide practical, hands-on training aligned with the latest construction technologies.
• Government-backed Innovation Hubs create shared spaces for collaboration, business incubation, and skills exchange.
• Financial institutions play a role by designing flexible financing and guarantee schemes tailored for construction SMEs.

Ultimately, West Africa must strive to build an industry rooted in local sustainability and modernisation. Success will hinge on people, collaboration, and forward-thinking policies that foster inclusive growth and long-term resilience.