In this part one of two articles, Wiero Vogelzang, managing director of Arcus GIBB Nigeria and technical executive for GIBB South Africa, explains why technical excellence alone is no longer enough for firms delivering complex HVAC&R and infrastructure projects across Africa.
Wiero Vogelzang, managing director of Arcus GIBB Nigeria and technical executive for GIBB South Africa.
Supplied by GIBB South Africa
From data centres and hospitals to cold chain facilities, commercial buildings and industrial plants, many of Africa’s largest HVAC&R projects increasingly involve multinational project teams and cross-border delivery. While the engineering challenges are significant, successful projects depend just as much on funding, local partnerships, regulatory compliance and understanding country-specific business environments.
As infrastructure projects across Africa continue to grow in scale, complexity and regional significance, the ability to successfully deliver across borders is becoming a critical differentiator for international consulting engineering operations.
Large-scale developments increasingly span multiple countries, regulatory frameworks and stakeholder environments, requiring project teams to navigate diverse local realities while maintaining consistency, quality and long-term value.
Vogelzang says one of the biggest barriers to successful delivery remains funding: “While development finance institutions such as the World Bank, African Development Bank and other international funders continue to play a vital role in supporting infrastructure development across Africa, securing funding can be a lengthy and complex process.
“Without funding certainty, projects can remain stalled for years, despite strong demand and clear development benefits.”
For HVAC&R projects, where mechanical services often represent a significant portion of capital expenditure, funding delays can affect procurement schedules, equipment pricing and contractor availability.
Another increasingly important consideration is localisation and indigenisation. Countries including Nigeria, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Namibia all have varying requirements regarding local ownership, participation and procurement. While these frameworks are intended to strengthen local economies, they also require international engineering firms to establish credible local partnerships early in the project lifecycle.
Vogelzang notes that identifying the right partner is rarely straightforward. “Trust takes years to build. You need partners who understand the local environment, have strong technical capability and share your commitment to quality delivery.”
These relationships extend well beyond regulatory compliance. Local partners help engineering teams understand stakeholder expectations, navigate government processes and build lasting relationships with clients and regulators.
Maintaining consistent quality across multiple countries presents another challenge. GIBB applies an ISO 9001-aligned quality management framework across its operations to ensure consistent governance, technical processes and quality assurance. However, Vogelzang says applying international standards effectively also requires flexibility.
“The South African way of doing things doesn’t necessarily work everywhere. You need to understand the local dynamics and adapt accordingly, while still maintaining the standards that clients expect.”
This balance between consistency and adaptability becomes particularly important when managing multidisciplinary teams operating across different legal, cultural and business environments.
Local knowledge frequently proves invaluable in addressing issues ranging from stakeholder engagement and labour practices to permitting requirements and community expectations.
Part two will examine the commercial, financial and governance challenges that increasingly determine whether large infrastructure and HVAC&R projects ultimately succeed.
Source: GIBB South Africa, edited for HVAC by Eamonn Ryan
