On 30 May 2025, a new chapter in Africa’s infrastructure and construction journey began with the inaugural meeting of the ConstructAfrica Industry Advisory Board (CIAB). This milestone event marked the formal launch of an initiative designed to reframe how the continent thinks about and delivers construction, infrastructure and industrial development. 

I am deeply honoured to serve as the founding chair of this board and to be joined by a diverse and talented group of C-suite leaders who represent the full spectrum of the construction and infrastructure ecosystem across Africa.

The CIAB comprises accomplished individuals with deep domain knowledge and leadership roles across education, professional industry bodies, construction and engineering practices, development finance institutions, commercial and investment banking, private equity, and public delivery agencies. The diversity of experience across the board’s membership is one of our strongest assets. Together, we represent the voice and vision of an industry poised for transformation.

The inaugural meeting provided an opportunity to formally set our agenda and to clarify the board’s mission, purpose and priority actions for the next 12 months. The terms of reference (ToR) were thoroughly reviewed and formally adopted, with minor suggestions to ensure clarity, alignment and accountability. With this foundational document in place, the board unanimously agreed on a series of high-impact programmes to be launched immediately as part of our 2025/26 action plan.

Among the most exciting outcomes of our inaugural meeting was the approval of several flagship initiatives. These will form the bedrock of the CIAB’s activities over the next 12 months and beyond:

• The 100 African Construction Industry Leaders Ambassador Programme: A network of influential African leaders who will serve as ambassadors for innovation, excellence, capacity building and knowledge sharing;
• The 'Build a Better Africa' (BBA) Webinar/Podcast Series: A platform that will bring together African and global experts to unpack strategic topics and accelerate knowledge dissemination;
• The annual ConstructAfrica Summit and Continental Awards: A future convening moment to celebrate excellence and align stakeholders on investment opportunities.

It was equally clear from the board’s deliberations that the CIAB must continue to evolve. A notable decision taken during the meeting was to expand the membership of the advisory board to include key professional disciplines not yet formally represented, specifically experts in construction law, insurance, technology and risk advisory services.

The board resolved to proactively engage with academic institutions, bilateral and multilateral development partners, regional economic communities, and think tanks. This outreach will help ensure the CIAB’s work is grounded in evidence-based research, supported by global best practices and, ultimately, impactful in catalysing meaningful change across the continent.

As chair of the CIAB, I am committed to ensuring we remain focused on outcomes. The CIAB is not a talk shop; it is a platform for cross-sector engagement with a clear mandate: to enable the 'Build a Better Africa' movement through concrete actions, strategic collaborations and measurable results.

Each board member expressed a strong willingness to contribute to the success of the CIAB and to support ConstructAfrica’s goal of becoming a central hub for African infrastructure intelligence, policy insight and investment facilitation. Over the coming weeks, members will be profiled on the ConstructAfrica platform to showcase how their expertise can contribute to the achievements of the mission.

Since the CIAB’s official launch, I have been encouraged by numerous expressions of interest from individuals and institutions that share our vision. I invite all those who believe in the power of African-led development to contact the Construct Africa team at hello@constructafrica.com 

Africa stands at a pivotal moment. With a young population, an expanding urban base and a growing appetite for infrastructure-led development, the time is now to unlock the full potential of the construction and infrastructure sector. Through the work of the CIAB, I believe we can build stronger foundations not just for buildings and bridges, but for inclusive prosperity and resilience.

Dr Nelson Ogunshakin FREng, OBE is an accomplished dynamic corporate executive, visionary business leader, strategic negotiator, with over 35 years’ global experience in infrastructure investment planning, finance, procurement, delivery, and asset management experts. As Chairman of the Construct Africa Industry Advisory Board, he provides strategic leadership and guidance to advance construction intelligence across the African continent.

He is the Founder and Chair of the AEO Group, a specialist boutique infrastructure investment delivery and advisory entity, and was appointed in 2023 by the Department of Transport to the Board of High Speed 2 (HS2) Limited, a new Railway Transport investment between London and Birmingham with an estimated cost of £55 billion. He has chaired the Investment Committee of ARM-Harith Infrastructure Investment $250m Funds (PE) since 2015, presiding over the delivery of many sustainable Power Generation and Transport investment projects in West Africa.

He is the immediate past Chief Executive Officer of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) having been in post between July 2018 and September 2024 with overall corporate responsibility for FIDlC's global operations. He was also past President and Chief executive of Association for consultancy and engineering (ACE) in the UK between 2004 and 2018.

Top photo: Construction of Temane power project in Mozambique (Source: Globeleq)