Stakeholders lament increasing building collapse

Stakeholders in the housing and construction industry once again raised serious concerns about the increasing cases of building collapse across Nigeria.

They are concerned about the level of compliance with building regulations and enforcement of physical planning laws in the sector, canvassing urgent need to strengthen the rule of law within the for an construction and real estate sector.

Speaking under the auspices of the Housing Development Advocacy Network, they pointed out that

The country has witnessed repeated incidents of collapsed buildings in major cities, including Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Onitsha, and other rapidly developing urban centers over the years, leading to the loss of lives, destruction of property, displacement of families, and growing public fear over the safety of buildings.

The fresh concern being raised by the stakeholders is not due to last week’s building collapse in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, in which five persons lost their lives.

The industry stakeholders believed that many of these incidents are avoidable.

They itemised weak enforcement of building regulations, poor supervision, substandard construction materials, unqualified personnel, corruption, and disregard for approved building standards as major causes of building collapse.

The stakeholders, who included the Executive Director of HDAN, Festus Adebayo, argued that one of the biggest challenges facing the housing and construction industry is not necessarily the absence of laws, but the failure to consistently enforce them.

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“Nigeria already has several regulatory frameworks, development control laws, urban planning regulations, and building codes designed to ensure safety and compliance within the built environment.

“However, implementation remains a major problem,” they said.

The stakeholders said the rule of law must become the foundation of Nigeria’s construction industry if the country hopes to reduce the growing cases of structural failures and building collapse.

According to the built environment sector’s professionals, developers who violated building approvals, professionals who compromise standards and government officials who aid illegal developments must be held accountable through strict enforcement and prosecution where necessary.

They are also calling for stronger collaboration among the regulatory agencies of government, urban planning authorities, professional bodies, developers, engineers, architects, builders, quantity surveyors and estate developers to improve compliance and restore confidence in the sector.

The experts advocated mandatory integrity testing of buildings, regular site inspections, enforcement of the National Building Code, use of certified professionals, stricter approval processes, and improved monitoring of ongoing construction projects.

They believed that rapid urbanisation, increasing demand for housing, and pressure for quick profits have contributed to the rising disregard for safety standards within the real estate sector.

They warned that unless Nigeria strengthens institutional enforcement and prioritises professionalism over profit, building collapse may continue to threaten lives, investments, and the credibility of the country’s real estate industry.

The issue of building collapse and the need for compliance with building regulations and physical planning approval, they said would feature prominently in July during discussions at the upcoming 20th Anniversary Edition of the Africa International Housing Show  in Abuja

The forum, regarded as Africa’s largest housing and construction platform, the organisers said, would bring together policymakers, developers, regulatory agencies, professionals, investors, urban planners, and other stakeholders to discuss practical solutions to the continent’s housing and construction challenges.

Industry observers said that conversations around building safety, urban planning, development control, professionalism, and enforcement of building regulations are becoming increasingly important as Nigeria’s cities continue to expand rapidly.

The stakeholders insisted that protecting lives and restoring confidence in Nigeria’s real estate sector will require more than public statements after disasters.

According to them, the future of the construction industry depends heavily on transparency, accountability, professionalism, and the consistent application of the rule of law across the housing and construction value chain.