Nigeria’s construction industry is racing to keep pace with urban growth, but for many small and medium-sized firms, the high cost of advanced digital tools has created a widening gap. Now, Nigerian engineer Nnamdi Innocent Oniya is taking steps to close that divide with a new generation of open-source solutions designed to make Building Information Modelling (BIM) more accessible to the companies that need it most.
Oniya is leading two open-source projects that tackle some of the sector’s most pressing pain points: the BIM Automation Toolkit and the BIM Data Compliance Checker. Both aim to simplify processes that are usually locked behind expensive enterprise systems, enabling smaller firms to deliver projects with greater accuracy, safety, and efficiency.
Speaking about his motivation, Oniya explains: “Too many small construction firms are locked out of BIM technologies because of cost. My goal is to break that barrier by creating open tools that any SME can use to improve compliance and productivity.”
The BIM Automation Toolkit focuses on streamlining routine but essential tasks. It helps users detect clashes between design elements, generate project schedules, and run cost estimation processes with minimal manual input. By automating these tasks through a lightweight, standards-based system, Oniya hopes to free up valuable time for project teams and reduce costly errors.
The second project, the BIM Data Compliance Checker, is designed to enhance safety and accountability on construction sites. It works by extracting key information from BIM models and running it against customizable rules for compliance. These could include requirements for corridor widths, exit placement, or minimum room dimensions. The tool then generates a clear pass-or-fail report that project managers can use to take corrective action early.
Industry observers suggest that such initiatives could be transformative for Nigeria, where most construction work is carried out by SMEs without access to costly digital infrastructure. By lowering the barrier to entry, Oniya’s tools provide smaller firms with a way to adopt global best practices without sacrificing competitiveness.
For Oniya, the open-source model is a deliberate choice. “If access to technology remains restricted, the digital divide in construction will only grow wider,” he says. “By opening up these tools, we invite collaboration and innovation from across the industry.”
Already, his work is sparking conversations in construction technology forums and among practitioners keen to see practical, affordable digital adoption. By championing accessible BIM tools, Oniya is positioning Nigeria — and Africa more broadly — as an emerging player in the global ConTech space.
As cities continue to expand and demand for safer, more efficient building grows, innovators like Oniya are proving that leadership in construction technology does not only come from the top end of the market. With projects like the BIM Automation Toolkit and BIM Data Compliance Checker, he is helping to ensure that no firm, however small, is left behind in the digital transformation of construction.
