A lecturer at the Department of Estate Management, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Prof. Joseph Oyedele, has said Nigeria needs $15 billion annually to meet its infrastructural needs.

Mr Oyedele said this while delivering a lecture at the Critical National Assets and Infrastructure summit organised by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Osun State Command, on Tuesday in Osogbo.

He said the amount is needed for the next six years to close the infrastructural deficit in the country.

The don, who spoke on the topic “Protection of critical national assets and infrastructure as a panacea for underdevelopment,” noted that the country’s infrastructural challenge was huge.

According to him, the significance of critical infrastructure to economic development cannot be overemphasised.

He said that all hands must be on deck in protecting the critical assets and infrastructure, adding that both public and private sectors must collaborate in finding workable solutions to ensure the security of sites of critical national infrastructure.

He added, “Nigeria’s infrastructure challenge is huge. Recent reports suggest that the country requires between 12 billion and 15 billion US dollars annually for the next six years to meet the infrastructure requirements. The establishment of NSCDC is therefore one of the measures to protect critical national assets and infrastructure and which is supported by NSCDC Act 2003 and amended NSCDC Act of 2007.’’

Also, speaking, the Vice-Chancellor of Fountain University, Osogbo, Prof. Olayinka Karin, said that community leaders, citizens, law enforcement agencies, among others have critical roles to play in the protection of public infrastructure.

Represented by a lecturer in the university, Prof. Role Lalude, he said that public infrastructure must be protected at all costs.

In his remarks, Osun NSCDC Commandant, Dr. Amintayo Adaralewa, called for collaborative efforts in protecting the public infrastructure.

He said, “It is important to stress that the basic difference between developed and developing countries lies in the sophistication and prioritisation of critical national assets and infrastructure which are now automated, linking man to machines, and sectors to sectors. We must be constantly reminded that patriotism is a duty and not a choice. For this reason, the clarion call here is for all and sundry to collectively deal with the criminality predisposing national assets to various forms of threats and vulnerabilities.’’

Earlier, Head of Department, NSCDC Critical National Assets and Infrastructure, Vincent Linus, said the summit was organised to highlight the strategic protection plan of the corps for critical assets and infrastructure.

(NAN)