Building industry experts have urged universities and students to strengthen the connection between academic training and professional practice.
They said competence, ethics, innovation and continuous skills development remain critical to improving Nigeria’s construction industry.
The experts spoke at the Department of Building, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Town and Gown Programme.
The event, themed “Making the Most of Building as a Process, a Product and a Profession,” honoured the late Prof. Reuben Iyagba.
Iyagba was the pioneer of the university’s Annual Project Management Lecture.
Universities must align training with industry needs
UNILAG Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, identified human capital as one of the construction industry’s most important assets.
Represented by the Dean, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Prof. Olumide Adenuga, she urged professionals to combine technical competence with ethics and innovation.
Ogunsola also encouraged graduates to consider the wider purpose and impact of their projects.
She said professionals should consider the people their projects serve and the consequences of their decisions.
The Vice-Chancellor further urged universities to ensure academic programmes remain relevant to changing professional demands.
Experts demand stronger professional competence
The event chairman and Managing Director of 225MM Construct Limited, Ahmed Lawal, called for greater attention to quality standards.
He urged students to develop the competence required to compete within an increasingly global construction industry.
Group Managing Director of HI Construct Investment Limited, Fatai Olugbade, said project outcomes depend heavily on decisions made throughout the development process.
He cautioned against viewing construction procedures as unnecessary bureaucracy.
Instead, he described them as a structured chain of decisions that influences project quality and overall success.
Olugbade said process, product and professionalism should be treated as interconnected elements of effective project delivery.
Students urged to build skills beyond classrooms
Managing Director of Erectas Engineering Nigeria Limited, Morenikeji Opaleye, encouraged students to take deliberate steps towards academic and professional development.
She identified curiosity, versatility, skills acquisition, professional registration and mentorship as important areas for young professionals.
The emphasis reflects the growing need for construction professionals who can combine academic knowledge with practical industry experience.
Effective project management remains critical
Meanwhile, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Megamound Investment Limited, Olumide Osunsina, chaired the 12th Project Management Lecture Series.
The lecture focused on “Addressing Infrastructure Deficit in a Complex and Uncertain World through Effective Infrastructure Project Delivery.”
The session examined how effective project management can help Nigeria tackle its infrastructure deficit.
Osunsina said well-managed projects can improve communities’ economic prospects and strengthen developers’ reputations.
He cited projects executed in partnership with the Lagos State Government as examples.
LASBCA seeks strict compliance
General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Florence Gbaye, stressed the importance of complying with building standards and regulations.
She referred to cases of building collapse while highlighting the need for stronger enforcement to protect lives and property.
Gbaye said the government had strengthened LASBCA’s regulatory framework and enforcement measures.
The discussions placed professional competence, effective project management and regulatory compliance at the centre of efforts to improve Nigeria’s built environment.
For universities, the challenge is to keep training aligned with industry realities. For students, the message is to build practical skills alongside academic qualifications.
For regulators and industry players, stronger compliance and professional standards remain essential to safer and more sustainable construction.
