Julius Berger Nigeria Plc has strengthened its partnership with Enactus Nigeria to promote innovation, sustainability and youth empowerment in Nigeria’s construction sector.
The collaboration, under the Julius Berger Innovation Challenge (JBIC) 2026 Mentorship Programme, is aimed at equipping young Nigerians with industry knowledge, entrepreneurial skills and practical experience to develop solutions to challenges within the construction value chain.
The programme brought together undergraduate students from tertiary institutions across the country, giving participants access to industry experts, mentorship and entrepreneurial guidance.
Through the initiative, the students were challenged to develop innovative and sustainable solutions addressing issues in areas such as construction processes, resource efficiency, waste management and infrastructure development.
Speaking at the programme, Country Director of Enactus Nigeria, Michael Ajayi, described the partnership as an investment in the future of Nigeria’s construction industry and its emerging innovators.
“The partnership between Enactus Nigeria and Julius Berger is forward-looking because it is highly aspirational in its expected achievements and outcomes,” Ajayi said.
He added that the initiative was creating opportunities for students to develop skills, innovative thinking and leadership qualities needed for nation-building.
According to Ajayi, the programme went beyond competition by providing a platform for young Nigerians to develop practical responses to real-world challenges.
“The projects presented by students represent far more than academic exercises. They reflect the ingenuity, resilience and determination of a generation committed to building a better Nigeria,” he said.
He noted that the ideas developed by participating students demonstrated their capacity to contribute to sustainable construction, improved building processes and emerging industry needs.
“What we have seen in this challenge, with Enactus students across the country presenting so many innovations, is truly exciting. These are groundbreaking ideas developed by young Nigerians with the potential to create meaningful impact,” Ajayi said.
He expressed confidence that continued support could help transform some of the students’ ideas into viable solutions for the construction industry.
At the grand finale, Julius Berger Nigeria’s Chief Risk Officer, Mrs Shakira Mustapha, described the programme as more than a competition, saying it was a platform for celebrating creativity and the potential of Nigerian youths.
“Today is a celebration of innovation, creativity, collaboration and the limitless potential of young Nigerians to shape the future of our built environment,” Mustapha said.
She explained that the Julius Berger Innovation Challenge was created to enable students to tackle pressing sustainability challenges facing the construction industry.
Mustapha said the future of construction would increasingly depend on innovation, sustainability and fresh ideas alongside traditional engineering expertise.
She said participants explored issues including resource efficiency, sustainable materials, waste reduction, energy efficiency, climate resilience, affordable housing and smart infrastructure.
Commending the quality of the projects presented, Mustapha said the programme demonstrated the ability of Nigerian youths to understand environmental and social challenges and develop solutions to address them.
“This programme has shown that Nigeria is blessed with a generation of young people who understand the environmental and social challenges of their time and are determined to develop solutions for them,” she said.
She reaffirmed Julius Berger’s commitment to supporting sustainable development and initiatives that empower young Nigerians to contribute meaningfully to the future of the built environment.
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