Experts press for law backing Nigeria's building code as collapse tally hits 843 since 1971
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Construction professionals want the National Assembly to give the building code legal force, saying the absence of an enforceable framework is undermining efforts to stop building collapses that have killed hundreds of Nigerians.
Construction professionals have renewed calls for legislation to make Nigeria's National Building Code enforceable, warning that the absence of a binding legal framework is undermining efforts to prevent building collapses and protect lives.
The Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG), at its fifth annual memorial webinar hosted by its Ikoyi-Obalende Cell, said Nigeria recorded 843 building collapse incidents between October 1971 and 10 October 2026, with Lagos State accounting for 56.6 per cent of the cases. The webinar commemorated victims of the 1 November 2021 Gerrard Road, Ikoyi building collapse and was themed "Making the National Building Code Enforceable to Enhance Safety in the Nigerian Built Environment".
Former BCPG president and past president of the Nigerian Institute of Building, Kunle Awobodu, argued that legislative backing would compel developers, contractors and professionals to comply with prescribed construction standards. Awobodu, a member of the Federal Government's Ministerial Task Team on Building Collapse and National Building Code Advisory Committee, traced the code to 1987 and its approval by the Federal Executive Council in 2006, saying efforts to secure national legislation and domestication by states had suffered repeated setbacks. He urged collaboration between the guild and the Nigerian Bar Association and asked the National Assembly to provide legislative backing before the code's 40th anniversary.
Chartered civil and structural engineer Elias Olawale Agbabiaka, principal of Famas Global Consulting, called for professional integrity, verified competence and honest certification, as well as transparent procurement, approved material substitutions and traceable project records. He urged developers to verify materials through the Lagos State Building Material Testing Laboratory.
The president of the Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers, Taiwo Elegba, identified inadequate soil investigations, defective structural designs, substandard materials and poor workmanship as the main factors requiring attention, and advocated independent checks for high-risk buildings, peer reviews and documented supervision. The Nigerian Institute of Architects' third vice president, David Majekodunmi, proposed a Digital Building Safety Passport, a National Digital Building Information Registry and a National Building Safety and Compliance Platform to make building records traceable.
Former NBA chairman Monday Ubani cited Ogun State's adoption of the code and urged other states and the Federal Capital Territory to follow suit with adequate funding, clear implementation deadlines and independent monitoring. BCPG national president Sulaimon Yusuf advised developers to scale building size to available finance rather than compromise quality as material costs rise, recommending fewer floors or a smaller project subject to professional assessment instead of substandard materials.