South African Engineering Firm Eyes Nigerian, Ghanaian Markets
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Gauteng-based civil engineering and multi-disciplinary service company in the built environment, Isivuvu Technical Solutions, is eager to seek market and expand its footprint to Ghana and Nigeria.
Managing Director of the company, Mr Nhlanhla Maphalala, expressed optimism as he will embark on a week-long Outward Trade and Investment Mission to Ghana and Nigeria taking place from March 19-23, 2018.
Mr Maphalala says the mission presents an opportunity for his company to take advantage of trade and investment opportunities available in both countries. He says that he is looking forward to engaging with his Ghanaian and Nigerian counterparts and form partnerships in the realm of engineering, energy generation and transmission.
“Most power and electricity transmission infrastructure in Africa presently operates at a fraction of installed capacity, owing to insufficient maintenance and lack of modernisation.
“Across the continent, infrastructure such as power plants and transmission lines, is either disrupted, damaged or non-existent. However, investment in energy infrastructure is critical to the continent reaching its economic potential and exploiting its current growth trend,” says Mr Maphalala.
He adds that Isivuvu Technical Solutions wants to play a role in the expansion and delivering access to electricity in the continent.
“We have learnt that there are numerous infrastructure development projects in Ghana and Nigeria and our main objective of travelling there is to explore possibilities of participating in these projects and penetrate the West African region through these two strategic countries,” says Mr Maphalala.
He adds that meeting the demands for Africa’s critical energy infrastructure is in the spotlight, and collaboration and sharing of resources between neighbouring countries can greatly increase the effectiveness of their power sectors and go a long way to reducing overall costs.
Furthermore, participating in the mission will afford his company an advantage for extensive data collection of generation capacity and transmission networks as well as assessing the demand and supply balance.
“We need to align ourselves regionally. Regional integration needs to be looked at right down to the consumer level. The introduction of cross border projects can provide great economies of scale to the African continent.
“Critical infrastructure changes the economy from an employment perspective, and a key enabler and the rest follows. Supplying good infrastructure also makes us more competitive at a global level. Achieving development impact through increased access to electricity requires countries to mobilise private investments,” he adds.
Sectors targeted for the mission are agro-processing and agribusiness, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, furniture and wood processing, infrastructure and built environment professionals, electro-technical, steel fabrication and steel tubing, mining and capital equipment.
