NBCC secures 20 bn order to build convention centres in African nations

State-owned NBCC (India) Ltd. has bagged an order worth Rs. 20 billion to build high-capacity convention centres in nine different African countries namely Niger, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, Liberia, Gambia, Burkina Faso, Togo, Gabon and is an initiative of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

As per the order, NBCC will build nine Mahatma Gandhi Convention Centres (MGCC) in African nations in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to raise the level of support for the vision of a prosperous, integrated and United Africa.

"We offer our services to extend and execute our Prime Minister's vision. Such overseas projects will go a long way in establishing NBCC as a formidable PMC overseas as well," said chairman cum managing director, Dr. Anoop Kumar Mittal, NBCC (India) Ltd.

At the third India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) held in December 2015, India had offered Africa a concessional credit of 10 billion dollars over five years and a grant assistance of 600 million dollars to create 100 capacity-building institutions, and developing infrastructure, public transport, clean energy, irrigation, agriculture and manufacturing capacity across Africa.

NBCC, a Navratna CPSE already has offices in Oman, Maldives, Turkey, Mauritius and Botswana.

It has executed many diverse projects over the past 37 years in Mauritius, Nepal, Maldives, Libya, Iraq, Yemen, Turkey and Botswana.

While executing these projects, NBCC plans to scout for further business in these countries.

At the same time, building convention centres in overseas locations will enable Indian engineers and other employees posted there to get acquainted with modern construction technologies.

Recently, NBCC secured projects at Mauritius which comprise construction of the new Supreme Court building valuing Rs. 250 crore and 956 social housing units worth Rs. 300 crore.

Some other notable projects successfully completed include a 200-bed Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Maldives, a 3,600 units Meer Housing Project in Turkey and Indira Gandhi Centre for Indian Culture in Mauritius.