Still Earth Construction Limited is a leading engineering and construction company in Nigeria with a portfolio of completed projects and satisfied clients that are in both the public and private sectors.

In this interview, Antony Ellis, the firm’s Group Managing Director, discussed Still Earth’s giant strides, Nigeria’s infrastructural challenges and opportunities for investors. Excerpts

How did you feel when you received the letter notifying your company that it had been selected for the Award of Excellence & Recognition for outstanding and visible performance in the Nigerian Construction Industry?

I was excited because the award category aligns with what we stand for; excellence and breaking barriers. For over a decade, Still Earth Construction Limited has pushed beyond obstacles to emerge as a leader in Nigeria’s construction industry. Our client base has grown tremendously across the public, industrial, and private sectors. Our commitment to quality and exceptional value delivery have sown the seeds for recognition of our outstanding performance over time. So it feels rewarding to enjoy the associated dividends of our efforts now. We remain committed to excellent service delivery in all we do.

If you were asked to name the three factors that stand Still Earth Construction Limited apart from its competitors what would these competitive advantages be?

Excellence, integrity and resilience.

Your industry is witnessing rapid change, with new entrants, innovation, brand loyalty campaigns, heightened client expectations, and growing regulatory burdens all in the midst of a slowing economy. How is Still Earth Construction Limited navigating the terrain?

As an organization, one of our key growth factors has been responding appropriately to challenges. Challenges are catalysts of innovative ideas at Still Earth Construction Limited and other businesses within Still Earth Holdings.

Changes in the regulatory environment or a slowing economy are mammoth challenges. Still, a team with a shared vision and innovative mindset is crucial to sustaining momentum through turns in the business terrain. Still Earth Construction Limited has taken steps to ensure its resilience in the face of the changing business environment: automation, delivery excellence and a focus on people.

Today more than ever we rely on the capacity and commitment of our talented staff.   The most significant challenge for the industry, however, remains cash flow and contract cycle time.  Industry stakeholders need to ensure a more appropriate payment cycle, shareholders cannot continue to carry the cash flow burden of a payment cycle that can extend to 18 months.  This is neither good for business or the wider Nigerian economy.  Contracting cycle time needs to be shortened – industry regulations currently lead to a 2-year average cycle time.   No other country suffers such challenges.

What single factor do you think will reshape your industry over the next three years?

Nigeria needs to develop its industrial infrastructure to ensure it can enable the workforce of tomorrow but this infrastructure needs to be developed mindful of the challenges of climate change.  Climate change is one of the most significant issues affecting the world and currently affects over 100 million people living in extreme poverty. It has the potential to impact the global construction industry in the near future but the level of infrastructure preparedness and response from actors is low.

The risks from climate change are diverse and vary by national circumstances. However, decisions about infrastructure should consider relevant uncertainties such as climate data to ensure resilience across a range of potential future scenarios. Decision-makers need to harness data that shape policy decisions toward the populace’s well-being, the deep funding deficit needs to be addressed, and investments need to be scaled up. As sobering climate projections continue, I believe organizations can position themselves to meet this need as a business opportunity and as a solution. Governments can also prioritize an enabling environment for climate-resilient infrastructure as an adaptive measure.

Surveying the business terrain, which opportunities are you most excited about in your sector?

With innovative thinking, technology and adequate financing, the horizon is brimming with possibilities for the construction sector to provide context-specific solutions to improve living conditions.

At Still Earth Construction Limited, we are establishing ourselves as leaders in affordable housing through partnerships with governments who share our vision of affordable housing for all. One such opportunity we are currently exploring is in partnership with the Ogun State government. We are also looking at business opportunities in the North and servicing the hospitality sector with our construction and engineering expertise.

The Japa drain on talent was one of the most talked about topics in 2022. What is your experience and what measures has Still Earth Construction Ltd put in place to limit its vulnerability?

Labor mobility is influenced by several socioeconomic and political factors. Due to global post-pandemic realities and economic uncertainty, the renewed waves of migration are part of the new normal.

The impact of the brain drain in Nigeria has cut across all sectors and has further stretched the skilled labor market. At Still Earth Construction Ltd, we strive to retain the best talent by creating an environment that offers competitive growth, career assurances, training, and sustained well-being of every individual.

We utilize leading-edge strategies to motivate, nurture and retain talent. Still Earth Construction Ltd remains committed to local leadership and talent retention but the lack of certain national prerequisites: health care, transport, and security will always lead to a level of Japa. At Still Earth Construction Ltd we believe in developing a national response to the fundamental issues driving “japa” and believe the incoming President can seek to address the obvious gaps.

Your organisation is renowned for being a socially responsible citizen. Could you share one or two CSR initiatives or campaigns it partook in or promoted in 2022?

In the past, we have partnered with foundations focused on encouraging critical infrastructural development, education, research, and community development. Our CSR posture is hinged on making a sustainable impact in the communities we operate and engendering development.

In the last year, we partnered with a foundation focused on encouraging critical and engaging practices, giving practitioners and academics the space to research, experiment, share, educate and develop their works.

We have also invested in improving access to education for talented students in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The region is severely affected by delinquency and learning poverty. Through our intervention, we hope to provide sustained support in meeting key educational milestones that will contribute to the socioeconomic welfare of the communities.

What are some of your award-winning Organisation’s plans/strategies in the near future?

Our focus this year is on breaking barriers, disruptive market leadership, and staying in the lead. We spent the past year consolidating internal dynamics and strengthening our business systems in readiness for 2023.

This year, we will be going further by investing in increased human capacity development, innovating business practices, and sustaining leadership in value delivery across our businesses at Still Earth Holdings. Sustainability also remains a key component of how and why we do business. We will continue to drive sustainable impact across human, social, economic and environmental dimensions.