The call was made by Professor Moses Ogundipe, a Civil Engineering (Transportation Engineering) lecturer at the Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences, Iyin-Ekiti, during the institution’s maiden inaugural lecture.

Ogundipe, who is the university’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic, Research and Partnerships), delivered the lecture titled ‘Paving the way to sustainability: Asphalt innovations for safe and durable road pavement.’

He emphasised the importance of incorporating sustainability into infrastructure planning and delivery, stating that “attention should be given to ensuring sustainability in the design, construction and maintenance of infrastructure.”

Identifying soil stability as a major requirement for long-lasting asphalt roads, the professor explained that “The soil, being the foundation for the road pavement, must be stable, and this is not always the case where roads are desired.”

He recommended using locally available materials, including groundnut husk, coconut shell, palm kernel shell, snail shell and bamboo leaf ashes, alongside hydraulic binders such as cement and lime to improve soil stability.

According to him, these materials could support the “construction of safe and durable roads, protect the environment and improve the economy by ensuring that these materials are not disposed of indiscriminately, but are also used to generate revenue.”

Ogundipe also highlighted the temperature- and loading/time-dependent nature of asphalt concrete, noting that these factors influence road performance. He advised that asphalt mixtures should be modified with sustainable materials to minimise their susceptibility to temperature changes.

He identified glass waste, polyethene terephthalate, hospital waste, steel slag, crumb rubber, ceramic tiles and lime as materials suitable for improving asphalt mixtures.

These materials, he said, “are effective and ensure a cleaner and safer environment by reducing the waste requiring disposal and promoting the economy through job creation.”

The professor further called on the Federal Government to prioritise the exploration and refining of Nigeria’s largely untapped natural bitumen deposits to lower road construction costs, improve infrastructure delivery and support economic growth.

Describing the deposits as a strategic resource for domestic asphalt production, Ogundipe disclosed that “Nigeria has an estimated 42bn barrels of natural bitumen deposits that remain largely unexplored.

“Domestic production of bitumen, the main binder in asphalt concrete, will ensure cheaper and more reliable supply, while also generating multiplier effects on construction costs, revenue, job creation and overall economic growth.

He recommended that the government work with private-sector operators to begin exploring and refining the country’s deposits, stating: “It is, therefore, recommended that the government, in collaboration with the private sector, should, as a matter of priority, commence processes for the exploration and refining of the nation’s bitumen resources.”

Addressing the recurring failure of asphalt roads in Nigeria, Ogundipe urged relevant government ministries, departments and agencies to collaborate with academic institutions and industry players on reviewing existing road construction standards.

He recommended a comprehensive assessment of stone mastic asphalt and other sustainable materials for possible inclusion in the general specifications for roads and bridges.

The don also advocated the adoption of Life Cycle Costing and Life Cycle Assessment in public procurement and tender evaluation. He said road construction contracts should recognise and reward contractors who use sustainable local materials and technologies.

He stressed that infrastructure policies should be based on credible research and comprehensive data rather than individual opinions. He also recommended regular collection and analysis of information on road construction, pavement distress, infrastructure failures and maintenance.

Another proposal was the establishment of a national pavement test track equipped with Heavy Vehicle Simulators. The facility, he said, would enable accelerated testing of innovative pavement materials and assessment of their performance under different conditions.

Ogundipe identified insufficient research funding and limited collaboration between universities and industry as major barriers to translating research findings into practical infrastructure development.

He therefore called for increased government investment in research and development, stronger partnerships among universities, professional engineering organisations and industries, as well as improved facilities and qualified personnel in higher institutions to strengthen engineering education.

Reacting to the inaugural lecture, the Vice-Chancellor of FUTES-IYIN, Professor Gbenga Aribisala, commended Ogundipe for what he described as insightful research and a significant contribution to knowledge and sustainable road construction in Nigeria.

Aribisala also expressed pride in the research achievements of the university’s academic staff, revealing that “some of the academic staff were listed as part of the top 500 researchers in Nigeria in the 2026 edition.”

He said the achievements recorded within less than a year of academic activities “highlight the arrival of FUTES-IYIN on the global map.”

Source: Punch