Infrastructure, investment and public-private collaboration took centre stage as Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and the Lagos State government articulated a shared vision to unlock value in the economy of Africa’s second-largest city and to position Lagos on the path to becoming a trillion-dollar economy by 2052.
The 2026 Julius Berger Luminary Soirée, hosted at the Alliance Française de Lagos, Mike Adenuga Centre, Ikoyi, brought together leading developers, architects, consultants, financiers, investors, policymakers and business leaders for discussions on the theme, “The Lagos Proposition: Unlocking value in a city in transformation”.
In his opening address, the managing director of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Dr Peer Lubasch, described the Luminary Soirée as a platform that facilitates meaningful dialogue amongst individuals and organisations shaping the future of Nigeria’s economy and built environment.
According to him, the theme encapsulated the opportunities and responsibilities that came with Lagos’ rapid growth.
“We chose the word proposition deliberately because transforming potential into tangible value requires intention, strategy and execution. Potential alone does not build a city; execution does,” Lubasch said.
He noted that Lagos remains one of Africa’s most important urban economies, with a growing population, growing housing demand, and significant infrastructure requirements, presenting both challenges and opportunities.
The Julius Berger chief executive observed that the city’s development was no longer confined to traditional commercial centres but was increasingly extending along the Lekki-Epe corridor, the Lagos-Ibadan axis, and emerging growth locations across the state.
“The question is no longer whether Lagos will grow, but where growth is concentrated, how it can be sustained, and whether what is being built today will stand the test of time,” he said.
Drawing on Julius Berger’s more than 60 years of operations in Nigeria, Lubasch highlighted the company’s contribution to national development through the delivery of major roads, bridges, airports, industrial facilities, and landmark buildings.
He said the company’s strength lay not only in construction but also in its integrated approach to project delivery, combining engineering, logistics, procurement, manufacturing, specialist building solutions, and facility management.
According to him, this integrated capability enabled Julius Berger to manage projects from conception to operation while maintaining a single chain of accountability.
Lubasch further challenged the perception that infrastructure projects should be measured solely on their upfront cost, arguing instead that total lifetime value should be considered.
“Many people say Julius Berger is expensive. But when you look at the lifecycle of an asset, you find that asset value is preserved. Our philosophy is not to optimise for the day of handover but to optimise for the lifetime of the asset,” Lubasch said
He explained that higher upfront investment in quality engineering and construction often translates into lower maintenance costs, less downtime, greater durability, and stronger long-term asset value.
Delivering the keynote address, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, described Julius Berger as an integral part of Nigeria’s development story and a natural partner in Lagos’ transformation agenda.
She told participants that transformation occurs at the intersection of vision, leadership, infrastructure, investment and execution.
“Julius Berger brings decades of engineering excellence and the capacity to turn bold ideas into tangible infrastructure, while Lagos State brings scale, ambition, enterprise, talent, and an extraordinary pipeline of opportunity,” she said.
