Costain West Africa is a building and civil engineering firm founded in Nigeria in 1948. The company was the first building and civil engineering firm to listed on the stock exchange,[1] work orders executed by the firm include construction of the 140 meter high NECOM house, constructed over loose sands with a shallow raft foundation design[2] and University College Teaching Hospital, Ibadan. One of the oldest civil engineering and building companies established in Nigeria, from 1950 to the end of the twentieth century, it executed highway, roads, building and civil works projects both in private and public sectors. Lately, the fortunes of the company has been mixed, with the firm sometimes unable to meet its obligations.[3]

History

Costain West Africa was established in 1948 as a civil engineering and building company with substantial shareholdings held by John Holt Plc.[4] It was founded as a subsidiary of Richard Costain. Involved in projects in all regions of the country, in the mid-1950s, the firm completed civil works at Ijora Power Station and extension of Apapa Wharf, and its building division built Bishopscourt along the Marina, Lagos. In 1957, a partnership with CDC and the government of Northern Nigeria led to the construction of a housing estate in Kaduna,[5] the firm was involved in the construction of Wuya bridge over Kaduna River a Bida and Shell estates in Port Harcourt.

In 1982, the company won a state bid that gave it one of its biggest orders, a project to develop Oyo State water supply system.[6]

Projects

  • Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna work order from the regional Ministry of Social Welfare and Cooperatives, Northern Nigeria.[7]
  • Bata Shoe factory.[8]
  • Phase II Nigerian Telecommunication System
  • Central Bank, Enugu[9]
  • Apapa factory of Flour Mills of Nigeria.

References

  1. ↑ "Costain (West Africa) Limited." Nigeria: Financial Times Survey. Financial Times, 9 June 1975, p. 17. The Financial Times Historical Archive
  2. ↑ E., Simons, N. (2002). A short course in geotechnical site investigation. London: Thomas Telford. p. 24. ISBN 0727729489. OCLC 49238282.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ↑ "The plight, hope of Costain West Africa PLC - BusinessDay : News you can trust". BusinessDay : News you can trust. 2014-03-02. Retrieved 2018-07-15.
  4. ↑ "John Holt & Company (Liverpool) Limited." Financial Times, 18 Sept. 1950, p. 7
  5. ↑ "Nigeria Housing Scheme." Financial Times, 27 Feb. 1957, p. 9. The Financial Times Historical Archive
  6. ↑ Webster, Mark. "Costain Signs Biggest Nigerian Deal." Financial Times, 9 Feb. 1982, p. 5. The Financial Times Historical Archive
  7. ↑ Costain The Economist (London, England), Saturday, October 10, 1964, Vol. 213, Issue 6320, p.112
  8. ↑ "Costain". The Economist. 211 (6298): 566. May 9, 1964.
  9. ↑ Costain Add to My Folder The Economist (London, England), Saturday, May 27, 1967, Vol. 223, Issue 6457, p.954
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