CHAPTER ONE
1.0    INTRODUCTION
Foreign companies in road construction are technological engineering establishment, operating in Nigeria due to their technical knowledge; they assist in road construction in Nigeria. The consequences and evaluation of foreign companies on road construction” can be seen on our environment, heath, security and socio-economic activities. These have resulted into positive and negative impacts in the society as a whole.
The discovery and application of the wheel undoubtedly gave impetus to good road construction. Crude roadways were known to have been in use in Mesopotamia about 3000Bc. The first cut-stone highway was laid along the Mediterranean.
The Romans are given credit for being the first real planning preparation of foundation soil and base and most importantly, provision for adequate drainage. Roman roads are characterized by their linearity and in popular perception by their route and since the risk of ambush in hostile territory is reduced. It was for this reason that the surface of the road was often elevated a meter or more above the local ground level to provide a clean view of the surrounding country hence the modem “highway”. Some of these early roads were of elaborate construction. For example the apian way
built southward about 3l2Bc illustrates the procedures used by the romans, first a trench was excavated to such a depth that the finished surface would be at ground level. The pavement was placed in three courses a large of small broken stones, a layout of small stones mixed with morta and firmly tamped into place, and a weaving course of massive stone blocks set and bedded in moats.
With the fall of the Roman Empire, road building becomes a last art. it was not until the eighteenth century that fresaguet developed improved construction methods that a great system of road He decreased the depth to about 10 inches by setting stone on edge, thereby reducing the labour involved and cambered or crowned the base with a wearing surface or small, hard-placed stones and spread with a shovel a top dressing of small stones, also MAC ADAM stressed the need to keep  the sub-soil dry by adequate drainage and a waterproof covering chiefly that  formed by small broken stoned interlocking through their inherent angularities.. Latter roads with waterproof covering of water bounds, bituminous bound or cement bound material were termed “MAC ADAM” roads.
Both TELEFORD and MAC ADAM brought principle of good engineering to road construction they advocated adequate drainage, well prepared sub-base material and uniform cross sections which lacked the excessive own of condemn portable design in the western hemisphere.
Today in Nigeria roads or pavement structure are still the largest and most patronized network presently linking village’s towns and states. With coming of foreign companies ( which have eventually taken over 75% of Nigeria  roads) being the first set of people to construct aphetic roads after nigeria became a republic in 1963, Nigeria has been relying on them to construct these roads and maintain them. These foreign companies have a lot effect on our government, health security and employment etc.
The road construction industries of a developing nation like Nigeria can be classified into three categories.
1.    The small scale contractor who combines one or two jobs a year with other allied works.
2.     The medium sized companies run by local business men and professionals.
3.     The large multinationals or foreign companies which take on the big projects ,which my research work mainly focus on.
While the first two are indigenous i.e. local contractors, the third group usually has it’s head offices in abroad with local offices. In this project emphasis is laid on the third i.e. the foreign companies. The aftermath of these foreign companies on road construction in Nigeria which includes the positive and negative effect?