Rehabilitation, Upgrading Of IBB Golf Club’s Facilities Begin

The IBB International Golf and Country Club (IBBGCC) in Abuja today marked a significant milestone in Nigerian golfing history with the flag-off ceremony for its comprehensive rehabilitation and upgrade.

The project, undertaken by Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, aims to restore the 35-year-old pioneer green golf course in West Africa to its former glory and elevate it to international standards.

Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the club, expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his timely intervention in acceding to the FCT Minister’s request to rescue and restore the facility. She highlighted the golf course’s historical significance as a “monumental pride of all Nigerians,” a sanctuary for recreation, and a hub for economic growth and networking.

Justice Dongban-Mensem emphasised the critical need for the upgrade, especially with golf now an Olympic sport. She noted that the IBBGCC hosts an International Golf Academy, vital for training Nigerian athletes for global competitions.

The urgency is further amplified by Nigeria’s upcoming hosting of the prestigious biennial International Lady Golf Championship in November 2026, with IBBGCC as the chosen venue.

Appealing to President Tinubu, Justice Dongban-Mensem requested the facility be designated a national monument, to be maintained under the national ecological fund. She also called upon other tiers of government, as well as corporate and private institutions, to contribute to the upliftment and maintenance of the club as a national asset.

Justice Dongban-Mensem expressed confidence in Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, the original constructors of the magnificent course, to transform the edifice “beyond our imagination.”
The Chairperson concluded by thanking the Board of Trustees, the Interim Management Committee, IBBGCC staff, and the press for their sustained support and interest in the restoration of this vital national facility.

Engr Debruyn Botha, the lead engineer for Julius Berger, outlined the scope of work. “The scope of work includes upgrading of the golf course, fairways, the greens, the bunkers, and obviously the tee boxes, get that all done. And the car park for easy access from hole to hole on the course itself. That’s the golf course. And then we’re going to renovate the clubhouse where we’ll strip out the clubhouse completely with new tiling, new kitchen, new facilities. Everything in the clubhouse will be completely revamped and renewed to obviously modernise standards that we have to have now,” Botha stated.

He indicated that the project is slated for completion before the end of 2026, ideally by November. Botha acknowledged that the timeline could be subject to “scope creep” and external factors like weather conditions, especially for outdoor work. The initial phase involves the removal and replacement of topsoil, planting approved grass species, and subsequent maintenance.

General IBM Haruna (retd), former chairman of the club’s Board of Trustees, also expressed confidence in Julius Berger, noting their familiarity with the club and their reputation for delivering international standard golf courses. He thanked the President and the Minister for recognising the social significance of the club.

Dr Peter Deshi, chairman of the interim management committee (IMC) and former club captain, shared his enthusiasm. “I must say I’m very happy. We’ve been looking forward to this day. You guys know how passionate I am about golf. So now that the Honourable Minister has commenced the work, we thank him, and we look forward to a brand new golf course very soon. So to all our members, please be patient. I’m sure we’ll all be happy in the long run.”