Project Info

The cell site / base station establishment is one of the main project areas of MTN network project in Nigerian when communication market boom started in year 2000 for which MTN Nigeria Limited commissioned AIM Consultants Limited (ACL), a consulting firm to supervise its infrastructure and components with certification on site-by-site basis. Engr Nath Olanipekun of Precision Technologies Consultants Limited (PTCL) was engaged by ACL to execute the project in the eight states of the federation as listed above. The scope of work covered about 150 sites scattered over the eight states. The inspection activities covered - Topographic survey and site plan development which involved topographic survey of each of the proposed sites after instruction and safe acquisition of the landed property by MTN and subsequent issuance of site instruction to ACL by MTN to proceed on correct placement of site through levelling process, site route identification, drafting with site acquired data and information and submission of one digital and two hard copies of drafted document containing Site Location Route Plan (Road Map), Site Arrangement Plan (Site Layout / Locality Plan), Site Layout & Sections, and Virgin Site Photographs while the deliverables’ (1 digital and 2 hard copies) turn-in time was largely dependent on the site distance from Ikeja, Lagos origin; Soil Investigation for Mast Foundation which involved site investigation and subsoil exploration to determine soil properties and parameters by which the mast foundation type is determined and designed safely and economically, analysing data, recommendation and report submission; Civil-Structural Designs Review of Infrastructure and Components and Certification (Engineered Works) included civil-structural design review of the infrastructure and components such as Manufacturer-certified Mast’s Foundation (Raft or Pile type), retaining wall, engineering fence wall, link bridge or ramp, box culvert and others within the site. The scope of work also includes supervision of all (except mast foundation) and certification. Post-Contract Supervision, Certification and Submission of Report included supervision of mast installation works only within the site from foundation to mast erection in five scheduled site visits. It also included certification of mast foundation after cube crushing test results are released and erected mast after the splice joints and legs are torque wrenched and found satisfactory. The scope of work is then said to be fully executed when the all-embracing report is submitted to MTN. The deliverables were two hard copies of report, one original hard and one hard copy of Foundation Inspection Completion Certificate, and one original hard copy of Mast Inspection Completion Certificate duly attested by both parties (MTN & ACL).   

The site physical activities that were check-listed included Setting out mast foundation location on site according to working / shop drawings; Foundation soil Investigation & material testing; Excavation for foundation of mast or piling depending on the nature of the site; Concrete blinding of specified thickness or piling as the case may be; Fixing, arranging and tieing of re-bars in mast base according to the bar schedule, shop drawings and specifications (may include testing) including holding-down bolts; Placement of fresh concrete of required designed mix ratio and preparation of cubes (3 Nos) for a later 28-day testing; Backfilling of foundation soil and compacting; Erection / installation of mast on pedestal (stub columns) foundation according to shop drawings and specifications; and finally carrying out Torque wrenching on the mast and issuing of certification.

Some quality assurance and control measures deployed in the supervision are as follows: Foundation activities were to be work-stage certified (on C-form) to maintain a good quality control and assurance at every sensitive stage of work during the mast installation project on every site.  This certification on C-form was to allow the installer or constructor proceeds to the immediate next activity. Torque tools must be provided by the tower member manufacturer through MTN for torque wrenching activity and mill tag or mill certificate of each splice member must accompany every batch from manufacturer and documented in secured warehouse. The main certification was to be issued at the satisfactory end of torque wrenching when the job on a particular site may be said to have been completed. The prompt site completion and handover as scheduled was critically dependent on the readiness of the constructor whenever ACL was on inspection visit to site at each of the stages of uninterrupted inspection.

Client: MTN Nigeria Limited, Lagos, Nigeria

Infrastructure Design & Site Establishment Supervision Consultants (Nationwide): AIM Consultants Limited Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria (project handled by Engr Nath Olanipekun of Precision Technologies Consultants Limited, Lagos, Nigeria for ACL)
Pile Foundation Designer: Mike Hayes & Associates, South Africa
Steel Mast / Tower Manufacturer: Andrew Satcom Africa

Main Contractor: Plessey (PTY) Limited, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria

Period: 2002 to 2006