Julius Berger, Enactus Nigeria Partner to Drive Youth Innovation in Construction

"The initiative brought together undergraduate students from tertiary institutions across the country, exposing them to industry experts, entrepreneurial guidance and practical insights into the construction sector."

Julius Berger Nigeria Plc has strengthened its partnership with Enactus Nigeria to promote innovation, sustainability and youth empowerment in Nigeria’s construction industry through the Julius Berger Innovation Challenge (JBIC) 2026 Mentorship Programme.

The initiative brought together undergraduate students from tertiary institutions across the country, exposing them to industry experts, entrepreneurial guidance and practical insights into the construction sector.

Participants were challenged to develop innovative and sustainable solutions to some of the critical challenges confronting Nigeria’s construction value chain, including resource efficiency, sustainable materials, waste reduction, energy performance, climate resilience, affordable housing and smart infrastructure.

Speaking at the programme, Country Director of Enactus Nigeria, Michael Ajayi, described the partnership as a strategic investment in the future of Nigeria’s construction industry and the next generation of innovators.

He said the collaboration was creating opportunities for students to acquire the skills, innovative mindset and leadership qualities required for nation-building.

Ajayi noted that the initiative went beyond a conventional competition, describing it as a platform for nurturing practical solutions to real-world challenges.

According to him, the projects presented by participating students demonstrated the ingenuity, resilience and determination of Nigerian youths to contribute to national development.

He said the challenge had also revealed the capacity of Nigerian students to develop innovative concepts capable of improving construction processes and responding to emerging industry needs.

Delivering the keynote address at the grand finale, Chief Risk Officer of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Mrs Shakira Mustapha, said the event represented more than the conclusion of a competition, describing it as a celebration of innovation, creativity, collaboration and the potential of young Nigerians to shape the future of the built environment.

Mustapha said the Julius Berger Innovation Challenge was conceived to provide students with a platform to identify and develop solutions to pressing sustainability challenges in the construction sector.

She stressed that the future of construction would increasingly depend on innovation, sustainability and fresh thinking alongside conventional engineering expertise.

She commended the quality of the ideas presented by the students, saying the programme had demonstrated that Nigeria possessed a generation of young people capable of understanding the environmental and social challenges confronting society and developing solutions to address them.

The partnership between Julius Berger and Enactus Nigeria underscores the growing importance of collaboration between industry and academia in preparing young Nigerians for emerging opportunities in the construction sector, while promoting solutions that support sustainable development.