profiles

Professor Nkado is a South African citizen.

Born on 21 January 1961, Professor Nkado graduated BScHons (Quantity Surveying) First Class in 1985 at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Nigeria; MSc (construction management) in 1988 at ABU and PhD (construction management) in 1991 at the University of Reading, UK, specialising in modelling construction time for fast-track commercial buildings. In June 2000, Professor Nkado graduated MBA cum laude at the Wits Business School.

Professor Nkado’s academic achievements include: Texaco Oil Company comprehensives cholarship for top-of-grade performance (Grade 2 to graduating Grade 5) of high school; the best all-round graduate in the Faculty of Engineering, ABU, in 1985; meritorious recipient of the prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship for PhD study (1988-91); citation on the Dean’s (top 10%) list on Wits MBA programme for all quarters of study1997 – 1999; and Old Mutual Gold Medal for the best graduating MBA (part-time) student in 2000.

Professor Nkado’s notable work experience includes: quantity surveying services as intern on a health clinic at Shehu Giwa & Partners, Chartered Quantity Surveyors, Kano (1983); engineering quantities as intern on the construction of an inter-state road at Roads Nigeria Ltd, Kano (1984); quantity surveying services as a member of internal project teams on ABU housing projects valued at up to US$10 million (1986 – 1987); pre-contract services on a multi-storey office project in London at Leslie Dight & Partners, Chartered Quantity Surveyors, Reading, UK (1989); quantity surveying services including final accounts for Guardforce Warehouse valued at about R7 million for ACSA (1997 – 1998); quantity surveying services including final accounts on commercial and public sector projects valued at over R60 million in total at Letchmiah Daya Mandindi, Midrand (1997 – 1999); opening of the Port Elizabeth branch of LDM and securing projects on the books (2001); quantity surveying services on several major private and public sector projects of minimum R300 million in total value as a director at LDM Jhb Inc. including the R300 million Orlando Soccer Stadium (2006 – 2008) and pre-contract services on the R600 million Nedbank Phase 2 head office, Sandton. As director of QualConsul, experience includes audit quantity surveying services on the R4 billion Soccer City Stadium project for the City of Johannesburg (2007 – 2010), expert witness in a commercial property case and mediation services on private sector and public sector projects. Professor Nkado was appointed by the Department of Public Enterprises in February 2011 as cost and project management expert to lead a 3-month investigation into the cost and programme performance of the R23 billion (originally R10 billion) New Multi-Product Pipeline project, which commenced in 2007 and is re-scheduled to be completed in 2013 (originally 2010). Professor Nkado currently oversees the delivery of public and private sector projects of over R200 million in South Africa and private sector projects of approximately R1 billion in South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa.

Professor Nkado presents the postgraduate course, ‘Introduction to project management’ at Wits University from 2009. His notable teaching experience includes: undergraduate courses in quantity surveying at ABU and University of Jos, Nigeria (1986-88, 1992-94); construction technology, the history of construction, and industrial organisation & management at the undergraduate level, and human & organisational behaviour at the postgraduate level as senior lecturer at Wits University (1994 – 1999); professor of quantity surveying and head of department, University of Port Elizabeth (1999 – 2001) including developing the MSc (Built Environment) programme at the University; executive dean, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, Wits University (2001 – 2006); and visiting honorary professor at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (2006 –)

Professor Nkado is fully familiar with the FIDIC contract and the New Engineering Contract (NEC3). He presented a 3-day seminar on NEC3 to City of Tshwane, Roads and Stormwater Division in May 2009. He was also facilitator and participant in seminars on NEC3 presented by Dr Martin Barnes under the auspices of the SAICE and ICE, UK.

Professor Nkado provided management consulting and training to emerging contractors and staff of established contractors under the auspices of the Building Industries Federation of South Africa (BIFSA) during 1995 to 1997. He has conducted funded research into the competencies required of quantity surveyors and the management practices of small-scale construction enterprises in South Africa. He has supervised numerous undergraduate, masters and doctoral research studies and has published in, and referees for, internationally accredited built environment journals. Professor Nkado has served in various capacities on statutory bodies: Construction Industry Development Board (member, 2005 – 2007; chairperson, 2008 – 2010); South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession (member, 2001 – 2005; President, 2005 – 2009); South African Council for the Project and Construction Management Professions (member, 2005 – 2009; chairperson of the finance committee, 2007 – 2009; President, 2009 – 2014; chairperson of the accreditation committee, from 2014). Professor Nkado is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, UK.

Professor Nkado is a registered quantity surveyor (PrQS), a registered construction project manager (Pr.CPM), a chartered construction manager with the Chartered Institute of Builders (MCIOB), a chartered quantity surveyor (MRICS) with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, UK and a project management professional (PMP) with the Project Management Institute of the USA.

Professor Nkado is the managing director of QualConsul QS cc.