The Managing Director of Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, Dr Peer Lubasch, has underscored the importance of Artificial Intelligence as the application of AI knowledge is aiding engineering construction processes.
In his opening remarks at the 2025 Luminary Soiree of the leading engineering construction company in Lagos, Lubasch said that Julius Berger is not just watching AI revolution, but the company is actively part of it.
According to him, Julius Berger, its affiliates and subsidiaries have already started bringing AI into their work. He stated: “In our laboratories and material testing, AI-driven analytics are helping us improve accuracy, speed up results, and make smarter decisions in quality control. We are witnessing what I would call construction intelligence.”
Specifically, the Managing Director disclosed that PrimeTech, a subsidiary of the group with bias in design and engineering, uses generative designs, collaborative platforms, and automated clash detection to shorten planning cycles. “And they are aiming even higher – to bring AI into every stage of design, so they deliver faster, with greater precision.”
Describing the gathering as the bringing together of great minds from architecture, finance, and engineering, Lubasch urged the audience not to see themselves as mere guests, but as partners in the unique journey of innovation and change.
“Tonight is about meaningful conversations. It’s about building new connections. And most of all, it’s about putting ourselves – together – at the front of a global shift that is already reshaping construction,” he added.
Turning to the architects, finance and banking experts as well as professionals in the oil and gas industry inside the jam-packed venue of the annual event, the Managing Director reminded them that Al is unlocking new creative freedom, backed by real data and simulation as well as giving new level of clarity in risk assessment and return on investment.
Looking ahead, he declared: “We see AI as an enabler across every part of Julius Berger’s value chain: predictive maintenance, adaptive scheduling, real-time safety monitoring, faster cost estimates, smart dashboards, risk anticipation, including support for contract management and legal teams.”
He tasked the audience with ensuring that they embrace intelligence, but should not lose sight of integrity, fairness, and inclusion, as the future must not only be smart, it must also be right.
One of the guest speakers at the event, a Senior Executive at Google, Mrs. Ugochi Agoreyo did not mince words in letting the audience in on the very essence of the AI revolution.
In her presentation titled, Embracing the AI Smart Revolution – A Pathway to Nigeria and Africa’s Future, she said that at its essence, the AI smart revolution refers to the broad adoption and integration of intelligent technologies that extend human capabilities, allowing humans to sense, learn, reason, and act more effectively.
This revolution, Agoreyo said touches all sectors: healthcare, agriculture, finance, education, governance, and even construction, noting it is commendable that companies like Julius Berger are adopting AI in extensive contract planning and execution.
Another guest speaker, an Architect with an offshore architectural firm, Willen Associates, Jurgen Willen, underscored the essence of AI application to the various projects they have handled.
“The range of services of our work includes the areas of architecture, interior design, urban planning, as well as event and product design. The main approach is to look far into the future for every planning project and to incorporate the latest products and possibilities into the projects,” he said.
