Economic Evaluation and Planning of Civil Engineering Works in Nigeria

Sustainable development is normally attained through critical assessment and harnessing of all growth indices. Transport infrastructural development remains a major tool for achieving the aspirations of the newly introduced economic principles of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS). Hence, this paper examines the construction of transport infrastructure in Nigeria and its impact to national economic development. Given active partnership with the private sector, government intends to hands-off routine management of businesses and to commit itself to the provision of adequate transport infrastructure and regulatory framework for business which is the cradle of any good economy. The work was conceptual based on historical data obtained from the Central Bankof Nigeria (CBN) and Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which saw that construction of transport infrastructural systems contribution to the GDP ranges between 3 and 6% from independence to the 80’sbefore crumbling to about 1% over the last decades. The last four years saw an upward progression in its actual contribution, which stood at about 3% in 2012, due to an improved budgetary implementation and private sector participation. It is noted, that the allinclusive effects of this sector, and especially its labor market generating potentials, makes it a veritable platform for sustainable development especially if viable mechanisms are put in place for the growth of the sector to be stimulated.