Stakeholders in Nigeria’s construction sector have urged the federal and state governments to enforce the National Building Code (NBC) and stamp out corruption, warning that the country’s spate of building collapses has become a national emergency. Fresh data from the Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG) showed at least 145 collapses and 40 deaths in just over two years, revealing deep failures in construction standards and regulatory enforcement.
The report noted that between 2022 and 2024, 26 lives were lost in 135 recorded incidents nationwide, with the latest disaster striking Kubwa, Abuja. In 2025 so far, the country has already logged 10 collapses, killing 14 people and leaving dozens injured, Lagos accounting for the majority of cases.
BCPG’s investigations blame professional negligence, excessive loading, substandard materials, faulty design, poor workmanship, and weak foundations compounded by what it called a glaring failure of regulatory oversight.
Experts and industry voices said a persistent disregard for the NBC, approved in 2006 and reviewed in 2018, lies at the heart of the problem. The Code remains widely unimplemented, particularly at state level, where enforcement is weak or nonexistent.
Speaking with NATIONAL ECONOMY, Architect Simeon Kemakolam, chief executive of Grand Spaces Architects Limited, said,“There are a plethora of problems in the real estate industry that boil down to inadequate enforcement of the National Building Code. The high rate of unemployment in the country has attracted quacks that pose as professionals. I reckon that up to 70 per cent of builders in Nigeria do not know how to read structural drawing. That is unlike the West where technical workers are certificated and can be properly monitored for professionalism and enforcement of the building code can be strictly followed.
“Some of the building materials imported into Nigeria are substandard. What was in years past imported into the country as 12 mm rod is currently sold in the market as 16 mm. When a builder goes to the market to buy such products based on specification from the building engineer, it is not his prerogative to take a tape rule to measure every rod he buys from the merchant. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that such standards are held.
“The Nigerian government needs to invest more in education, especially technical education, which has the potential to not just ensure standards are held, but that mass employment can result to transform the Nigerian economy.”
Also speaking, Architect Theodore Omokpo, chief executive of Dornesi Projects, agreed, saying, “The building codes are there, except for failure to adhere to the use of quality materials by artisans and other unqualified practitioners in the industry. Even when there is the availability of quality materials, if they are not applied as they should be it would still affect the integrity of structures.
“The regulatory authorities are not doing enough supervision, despite the efforts on the part of the government. In the recent incidence of a collapsed hotel under construction in Uromi of Edo State, the owner of the hotel under construction died, with the miraculous escape of 20 site workers. The owner/builder, who did not have the requisite training, was the site engineer that insisted on going ahead with the project despite several warnings from professionals and onlookers that the materials were poor and the structure weak.”
According to data from the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), there were 22 building collapses between January and July 2024 alone, with the Busa Buji school tragedy in Plateau State among the most heartbreaking cases. In that incident, the collapse of Saints Academy claimed the lives of 22 students and rescued over 130 more, underlining the severity of the crisis.
Another architect in Lagos, and member of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), Moses Ojake said,“Apart from poor enforcements of the building code and substandard materials imported into the country, many buildings, especially in Lagos, have become too old and weak to stand. The regulatory authorities may have to resort to inspecting the strength of buildings, especially buildings that are more than 20 years old, for pull down, if there be the need.”
Industry associations are sounding the alarm. REDAN urged stricter enforcement and clearer penalties under the NBC, including mandatory insurance for construction projects, to instill accountability and deter negligence.
Meanwhile, COREN revealed that 80 per cent of collapses stem from private developer projects, often involving substandard materials and kickbacks to regulatory authority figures. Compounding the issue, COREN also lamented that the country lacks the capacity both expertise and resources to properly investigate collapse incidents.
At a broader level, professional bodies like the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) emphasised that technical violations like poor soil testing, unauthorised plan alterations, and use of substandard materials are rife, particularly in urban centers like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.
Professor Tayo Bello, development economist at Adeleke University, noted,“Governance gaps, especially the absence of enabling legislation and prosecutorial powers for enforcement agencies continue to hinder accountability and prolong the cycle of negligence.”
To curb the persisting menace, Omokpo called for, “The domestication and enforcement of the NBC across states, with prosecutorial backing and clearly defined penalties for violations. Enhanced funding and capacity-building for regulatory agencies, enabling effective inspection, investigation, and follow-up.”
Kemakolam, on his part, called for “Mandatory involvement of qualified professionals (architects, engineers, builders) at all project stages, to uphold structural integrity and compliance. There is the need for public awareness campaigns to reinforce that compliance isn’t bureaucratic red tape but a safeguard for lives and property.”
In Lagos, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, recently claimed the state has seen a significant drop in building collapses in 2025, marking its lowest rate in two decades. Speaking at the National Building Safety Integrity Initiative (NBSSI) workshop he said,“This year, we are seeing a major reduction in the number of building collapse incidents. If this trajectory continues, 2025 will record the lowest cases in 20 years. It shows that our combined efforts through stakeholder collaboration, proactive measures, and stronger regulations are working. Lagos is a city of ambition and rapid growth, but with growth comes the responsibility to safeguard lives and property.”
The event, organised by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) and themed:“Incessant Building Collapse in Nigeria: The Need for Strict Adherence to Building Codes and Regulation,” brought together representatives of bricklayers, iron benders, carpenters, welders, licensed electrical contractors, plumbers, engineers, market associations, local government chairmen, community development associations, and regulatory agencies. It also unveiled the Certified Structural Integrity Programme (CSIP), which will require structural integrity tests on all buildings in Lagos every five years to assess their safety and suitability for habitation.
Sanwo-Olu stressed,“Buildings represent more than just physical structures; they are vessels of human life. Each collapse is a tragic reflection of human error, negligence, corruption, or lapses in regulatory monitoring. Beyond the devastating loss of lives, the incidents also cause economic setbacks, emotional trauma, and irreversible disruption to communities.”
Between 2005 and 2022, Nigeria recorded over 180 building collapses, with Lagos accounting for more than 60 percent. While Lagos has historically been the epicentre, Sanwo-Olu observed a notable downward trend in recent years.
The crisis has also triggered outrage from the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CRBN), whose chairman, Dr. Samson Opaluwah, recently condemned government inaction after three collapses in three days in Abuja.
He said, “This collapse, unfortunately, has continued to happen, especially in areas that we can refer to as urban centres. Centres where professionals and professionalism should be extolled to the highest. The challenge we have now is government enforcement of its laws. We need to punish those who have been found wanting in the past.”
Experts have warned that without immediate, ironclad enforcement of building codes and strict sanctions on erring developers, Nigeria’s collapse epidemic will continue to claim lives.
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