By Mohammed Danlami
Engineering construction giant, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC has won the maiden award for Leadership in Sustainable Construction organised by the global industry watchdog, American Society of Engineers, ASCE, through its Sustainable Infrastructure Recognition Awards, SIRA platform.
At the just ended 2025 Sustainable Infrastructure Conference of the Society held in Lagos, ASCE stated that SIRA is Nigeria’s premier platform for celebrating excellence in sustainable, climate-resilient and impactful infrastructure delivery for which individuals, organisations and projects that transform the built environment through innovation, resilience and bold leadership, are honoured.
Accordingly, the ASCE said Julius Berger Nigeria PLC is eminently qualified to be crowned with the Leadership in Sustainable Construction Award for its groundbreaking achievements across sustainable construction and engineering practices, green energy infrastructure, indigenous construction leadership, and climate-aligned design.
Citing the company’s application of the novel Bitumen Stabilised Materials, BSM initiative in construction works, especially on the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road project in one of the presentations, ASCE declared that, we are celebrating those who are not just building but building better for our future; adding that this is the moment to move from policy to performance, from ideas to impact and from construction to conscience.
The Society’s Nigeria Section President, Engr. Austin Odibi, in applauding Julius Berger’s initiative declared that JBN’s BSM technology is a compelling novelty in construction works even as the ASCE Executive Director, Tom Smith praised the application of BSM technology and recommended its use globally.
“I commend Julius Berger for the BSM technology. That it is being awarded the Leadership in Sustainable Construction today underscores this fact. Kudos to the company. We recommend BSM technology for general construction applications globally, even in the United States”, he said.
In a presentation on Statistical Evaluation of Indirect Tensile Strength and Unconfined Compressive Strength in Bitumen Stabilized Materials: Case Study of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Highway as constructed by Julius Berger, by Dr. Abdulmuminu Ahmed Shauibu of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, he concluded that the innovation is a welcome development in the construction sector which must be encouraged.
The Academic concluded his presentation thus: “Julius Berger has attempted to contribute to developing cost-effective infrastructure, environmental-friendly infrastructure, as well as sustainable infrastructure by the use of cold recycling technology by means of bitumen-stabilized material; … and the federal government actually accepted it due to its numerous potentials to address sustainability problems, like going to explore virgin materials which can affect the ecosystem, destroy wetlands, etc was mitigated. And because this type of maintenance activity relies heavily on the milled material from the asphalt pavement, which means you are using the distressed pavement. It is now effective.”
In accepting the Award, the Director of Administration, Alh. Abdulaziz Kaita appreciated the honour and recognition given to Julius Berger and its efforts at uplifting the country construction industry by pioneering the BSM technology. He added that beyond the BSM technology, Julius Berger has done a lot and still doing much in the built sector.
The BSM technology has been able to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goal 9 and 13, industry innovation and infrastructure and also climate condition. And in terms of energy consumption and energy release, you can tell that it is very low. In this light, our collaboration with the Department of Civil Engineering of Ahmadu Bello University on the BSM technology, knows no bound. We are seriously nourishing the arrangement, and we are doing a lot in the built sector, beyond the BSM technology issue, Kaita said.
Apart from the Director, Administration of Julius Berger, a Project Coordinator in Region West, Engr. Fatima Kosemani among others were at the event.
