This month’s interview An interview with Abel Ng’andu, Managing Director of Ng’andu Consulting
This month our MultiMedia Journalist, Nambeye Katebe, turned her attention to a Zambian engineering firm that has been making an impressive buzz in local media and has received recognition from the international community. We caught up with N’gandu Consulting’s Managing Director, Abel N’gandu, to find out the secret behind their tremendous success. NAMBEYE: To begin with, tell us a bit about yourself. ABEL: I am originally from the Copperbelt Province and was born in the town of Chililabombwe. I attended Chawama Primary School then went on to Libala Secondary School. After that I had a short stint at the University of Zambia (UNZA) I was in the school of Natural Sciences and I intended to pursue an engineering course but the constant closures at the
—
4
University forced me to leave. I started applying for a scholarship outside the country and I was fortunate enough to be accepted to the Indian Institute of Technology (Roorkee) in India. It was there that I accomplished my dream of becoming an engineer by obtaining a degree in Civil Engineering. NAMBEYE: Ng’andu Consulting is one of the leading engineering consulting firms in the country. What inspired you to start the company? ABEL: In order to answer that question appropriately, I will need to give you some background. In 2003 I partnered with a South African company called UWP Engineers, founding Ng’anduUWP Consulting with a 20% Zambian shareholding and 80% South African. In 2009, I felt I had acquired all the necessary skills I needed from my time at UWP to venture out on my own. I felt confident enough to leave. I realised that Zambia had significant growth potential in terms of the
construction industry and I had the desire to set up a company that could provide quality, cost effective and innovative engineering services to Zambia and the whole subregion of Africa. In 2009 N’gandu Consulting, which is a 100% Zambian owned company, was formed. NAMBEYE: What would you say are some of the key services that Ng’andu Consulting provides? ABEL: Ng’andu Consulting provides a multi-disciplinary service through its dedicated specialist divisions - water, transport, structures, programme management and project management. NAMBEYE: Ng’andu Consulting has been operational since 2009. What has the response from the industry been like and do you feel you have met a need? ABEL: The response has been tremendous. Since forming the company in 2009, our average