Construction industry offers blueprint for Sri Lanka's recovery

The dawn of 2026 represents a time for critical recalibration, not just ceremony, for the nation's vital construction sector, says Eng Nissanka N Wijeratne, Secretary General/CEO of the Chamber of Construction Industry (CCI).

- BY SANATH NANAYAKKARE

In a New Year message, Wijeratne reframes the annual greeting as a strategic call to action. “For Sri Lanka's construction industry - the true backbone of our economy - the turning of the calendar is an ideal moment for a realistic and forward-looking assessment,” he states.

His vision sketches a practical blueprint where the unprecedented challenges of the recent past become the foundation for a smarter, more sustainable future.

The industry, long considered a barometer of national prosperity, has weathered severe headwinds: economic volatility and spiraling material costs. “These were not mere business cycles, but unprecedented tests,” Wijeratne notes, acknowledging the severe strain on firms and professionals. Yet, the sector's response, he observes, has been “nothing short of remarkable,” showcasing a deeply ingrained resilience.