Emmanuel M. Akpabio is a Professor in the Department of Geography & Natural Resources Management, University of Uyo, Nigeria
Across Nigeria, the construction industry is facing a profound crisis of credibility. From collapsing buildings to poorly executed infrastructure, from unregulated artisanal practices to a dearth of technical competence, the sector reflects decades of neglect, under-skilling, and absence of standardised professional culture.
Construction sites across our cities are increasingly dominated by quackery and untrained hands, while our educational system still struggles to deliver the kind of practical, technology-driven training that modern construction demands.
It is against this backdrop that the British Council-funded project, “Leveraging Digital Technologies to Drive Sustainability, Inclusiveness, and Employability in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for Construction Education (DT4TVET)” becomes a timely and transformative intervention.
The one-year collaboration between the University of Uyo (Nigeria) and Edinburgh Napier University (UK) marks a bold step toward redefining the future of construction education in Nigeria.
Led by Dr. Dubem Ikediashi (UK Principal Investigator)—a former colleague in the Department of Building, University of Uyo—and myself as the Nigerian Principal Investigator, this project is not just about technology; it is about rebuilding trust, standards, and professionalism in the construction industry.
At the heart of sustainable national development lies Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)—the backbone of skill formation, ethical professionalism, and technical innovation.
TVET provides the practical competencies needed to construct, maintain, and manage the physical infrastructure that defines national growth.
Unfortunately, in Nigeria, TVET has long been underappreciated, often viewed as inferior to “academic” pathways.
This perception has starved the construction sector of well-trained artisans, technicians, and technologists.
The result? An industry saturated with poor workmanship, unqualified contractors, and recurrent structural failures.
To reverse this, consistent awareness must begin early—from elementary and secondary school levels—to promote the dignity of skill, the power of applied learning, and the importance of technical expertise in nation-building.
The DT4TVET project recognises that the future of construction is digital. Across the world, the sector is being reshaped by Artificial Intelligence (AI), Building Information Modelling (BIM), robotics, blockchain, and data science.
Yet, in much of Africa, construction education still relies on outdated lecture-based teaching and minimal exposure to digital tools.
This digital divide has created a dangerous gap between what graduates learn and what the industry actually demands.
Recent studies highlight that modern construction professionals require not only technical proficiency but also digital literacy, sustainability awareness, adaptability, communication, leadership, and critical thinking.
Through this project, we are working to close that gap—to modernize Nigeria’s construction education ecosystem and make it globally competitive.
A major strength of the DT4TVET initiative is its emphasis on multi-sectoral collaboration. Sustainable construction cannot be achieved in isolation; it requires coordination among planners, environmental scientists, engineers, builders, architects, policymakers, regulators, and legal experts.
The project therefore promotes dialogue and cooperation among these key stakeholders, ensuring that knowledge transfer, ethical practice, and digital competencies become integral to every level of the construction process.
It is a call for a new kind of professionalism—one that is technologically empowered, ethically grounded, and globally relevant.
At the University of Uyo, we are proud to play a central role in this transformative project. The initiative has benefited immensely from the support of the Vice Chancellor, Professor Nyaudoh Ndaeyo, whose vision for academic innovation and internationalization continues to inspire excellence.
We are equally grateful to the Head of Geography and Natural Resources Management, Professor Uwem Ituen, for providing access to the GIS facilities that are central to the University’s digital infrastructure. The integration of Geographic Information
Systems (GIS) and Building Information Modelling (BIM) offers an exciting opportunity to merge spatial analysis with structural design—creating a new paradigm for construction intelligence and urban planning.
Indeed, GIS and BIM are natural allies in developing digital elevation models and smart infrastructure systems, which will form an important frontier in our ongoing collaboration.
The DT4TVET project features several interconnected components designed to build lasting capacity. These include train-the-trainer workshops at both Edinburgh Napier University and the University of Uyo, exchange visits, and field-based activities.
The next milestone will be the University of Uyo Train-the-Trainer Workshop, scheduled for October 14–17, 2025, at the GIS Laboratory housed in the Centre for Computational Intelligence Building, Town Campus, University of Uyo. This workshop aims to equip Nigerian trainers and instructors with digital, pedagogical, and sustainability-oriented skills that can be cascaded through our TVET and higher education systems.
This project would not have been possible without the generous funding of the British Council under its Going Global Partnerships framework, and the steadfast support of our collaborators at Edinburgh Napier University.
Special appreciation goes to my colleague and friend, Dr. Dubem Ikediashi, the UK Principal Investigator, for his tireless facilitation of the partnership. I also commend our dedicated Nigerian project team members — Professors Anthony Ujene and Akaniyene Umoh; Dr. Jenny Ntamark; Dr. Chicheta Nissi; Builder Joy Solomon Umoh; and Dr. Christopher Belonwu — for their professionalism and commitment to excellence.
The DT4TVET project is not merely a research initiative—it is a movement for transformation. It signals a new era in which Nigeria’s construction industry will be driven by skills, sustainability, and digital intelligence rather than improvisation and quackery.
If sustained, this collaboration between the University of Uyo and Edinburgh Napier University will not only raise the quality of construction education in Nigeria but also redefine the nation’s image in the global built environment community.
In a time when buildings collapse almost daily, the message is clear: we cannot continue to build ignorance into our infrastructure.
The future of construction in Nigeria depends on how effectively we embrace digital technologies, strengthen TVET systems, and invest in the ethical and professional training of those who build our world.
Emmanuel M. Akpabio is a Professor of Human Geography & Director of International Programmes, University of Uyo. He is the Nigerian Principal Investigator to the British Council funded DT4TVET project.
