CHALLENGES IN THE DAMP AND WATERPROOFING INDUSTRY IN NIGERIA.

With increasing prospects of infrastructure development and project implementation  the Nigerian damp and waterproofing industry is  lagging behind .

With verticaliasation increasingly becoming the mantra across Nigeria, repair and redevelopment has evolved as the need of the hour for the ageing and deteriorating structures. According to a study on international standards by Global Research Market, if the average life span of buildings  is more than 100 years globally in Nigeria it  is barely  20-25 years. There is a serious requirement for

intervention from  high end construction chemical solutions to prevent the deterioration of structures and to strengthen new construction activities.
Thankfully enough  there is now urgency in the building business  inculcate best practices  in terms of the usage of the right construction materials   along with the  proper dosage and  techniques  to build healthy structures.

Increasing  urbanisation, a sprawling middle class population, increasing focus on developing sustainable structures and the government’s ambitious agenda of Smart Cities is expected to drive the specialty damp and waterproofing industry in Nigeria. However, when compared to international industries like Europe, North America ,South Africa , India or  even Southeast Asia, the Nigeria damp and waterproofing industry is still in its infancy and  requires  a lot of improvement.

 
INDUSTRY REVIEW;

Often referred as a ‘knowledge based industry, the damp and waterproofing industry in Nigeria is very poor. “We foresee strong growth in the damp and waterproofing  industry due to a  boom in construction and Real Estate industry. The waterproofing industry has a huge growth market as this segment is still at a very premature state  and the bulk of the construction sites in Nigeria is still using traditional methods like waterproof cement, nylon  and white cement which have their own limitations.

“As the economy develops,  the purchasing power of the buyer improves and this allows him to utilise advanced sustainable solutions without being influenced by price factors. Nigeria  is largely embracing urbanisation  which will be a major  growth driver. Prospects are also immense from the development of Smart Cities, industrial corridors and FTZs. We consider this as a good opportunity for our services.

 

BARRIERS  AND PROSPECTS AHEAD

The market for damp and waterproofing services in Nigeria is  divided  between individual players and cooperate bodies. As per  my findings about 160 companies are operating in the damp and waterproofing services segment. While the top players like CURTIS CONSTRUCTION NIGERIA, CONCRETE LOGISTICS NIGERIA, ADVANCED CONCRETE NIGERIA name but few  occupy 50 per cent of the market share, about 25 per cent is still comprised of  unorganised and local players. The increasing number of unorganised players, according to analysts, has been a major source of concern affecting the qualitative growth of the specialty in the damp and waterproofing services . “In today’s fast changing world of technology, innovation is the key to stay ahead and fuel any organisation’s growth. The construction industry should push forward the drive for awareness on ‘Correct Usage of Construction Chemicals’ in Nigeria. Once this wave catches on, it would be a big boost to  driving the growth of the construction industry in Nigeria.

Lack of awareness, inadequate application knowledge and lack of stringent quality norms on damp and waterproofing services also on construction activities are seen  as the major problems affecting the industry. This has led  the industry  to adopt a system approach rather than a product focused approach as its  prime operational mantra. As per  experts,  99 per cent of the time the product doesn’t fail but applications do. Lack of detailing and inadequate knowledge regarding  usage patterns are the major causes behind this failure in application. “About 85 per cent of contractors and builders are not aware of the key advantages of using construction chemicals and have limited knowledge of  their proper applications.

It is  thus imperative for construction chemical manufacturers to invest in effective product marketing to increase customer awareness. CURTIS CONSTRUCTION NIGERIA LIMITED has  stepped forward in setting up training centres for workers and applicators, which will involve the training of engineers and architects on application of waterproofing products. Such initiatives will gradually contribute to the increase of  customer awareness on the need for damp and waterproofing industry in Nigeria. The sector’s growth prospects are expected to further boom with  expanding construction activities in the largely untapped mega cities and  rural areas.

However, to achieve such growth and rise on a global level, the Nigerian damp and waterproofing industry needs to focus on developing new processes and products with sustainability as its core principles. This  calls for a collaborative platform involving government, regulatory bodies, manufacturers and even customers to promote and execute strategies for the judicious use of chemicals in the construction industry.