By Ameh Gabriel
The Federal Government has reconstituted the National Building Code Advisory Committee (NBCAC), reaffirming its commitment to tackling the rising menace of building collapses and ensuring safety, professionalism, and sustainability in Nigeria’s construction sector.
The inauguration, held at the main conference hall of the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Mabushi, Abuja, was presided over by the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, alongside the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Shuaib M.L. Belgore.
In his keynote address, the Minister of State described the reconstitution of the NBCAC as a landmark step toward repositioning Nigeria’s building industry on a foundation of regulation, standards, and professionalism.
“Today’s inauguration is not just a statutory obligation but a reaffirmation of our collective resolve to ensure that every Nigerian home, office, school, and hospital is built to specifications that guarantee safety, durability, and sustainability,” Hon. Ata said.
Tracing the history of the National Building Code, the Minister of State recalled its initiation in 1987, eventual adoption in 2006, and the inauguration of the first Advisory Committee in 2018. He lamented the delay in reconstituting the body after its expiry in 2021 but expressed satisfaction that under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Committee has been revived.
Hon. Ata listed key challenges necessitating the Building Code, including poor city planning, incessant building collapses, fire outbreaks, use of substandard materials, and patronage of quacks in the sector. He stressed that the Advisory Committee must treat its mandate as a serious national assignment.
The Minister of State directed the Committee to submit quarterly reports and ensure visible improvements in compliance, professional practice, and safety standards across the country.
“Nigerians expect results. The Ministry expects results. Most importantly, lives and properties depend on your work,” he charged.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Belgore, who was represented by Mr. Samuel Temitope, described the inauguration as a direct outcome of the resolution of the 13th National Council on Lands, Housing, and Urban Development (NCLHUD), which mandated the reconstitution of the NBCAC.
According to him, the Committee will serve as a central institution for updating and institutionalizing the National Building Code, thereby promoting safety, sustainability, and global competitiveness in Nigeria’s built environment.
Belgore then unveiled the members of the National Building Code Advisory Committee (NBCAC) as follows:
1. Arc. Mohammed Jimoh Faworaja, FNIA, PPNIA, PPARCON Representative of Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Chairman
2. Arc. Matthias Iliya Kastuda Representative of Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Secretary
3. Engr. Prof. Okorie Austine Uche, Representative of Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Member
4. Bldr. Samson Ameh Opaluwah Representative of Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), Member
5. TPL. Kabir Yari, Representative of Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria (TOPREC), Member
6. ESV. Adefila Thomas Kolawole Representative of Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON), Member
7. QS. Akinpelu Muftau Adewunmi, Representative of Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria (QSRBN), Member
8. Surv. Apere Akanji Rotimi Representative of Surveyors Council of Nigeria (SURCON), Member
9. Mrs. Grace Oluwayemisi Feyinji Representative of Federal Ministry of Environment, Member
10. Mrs. Osunde Emily Representative of Federal Ministry of Works, Member
11. Dr. Charles Nzelu Representative of Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Member
12. Chief Superintendent of Fire Sarki Abdulrahman Representative of Federal Fire Service, Member
13. Engr. Idim Okon Nsemo Representative of Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Member
14. Bar. Festus Adebayo, Executive Director, Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN), Representative of Civil Society
15. Bldr. Kunle Awobodu Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG), Representative of Non-Governmental Organisation, Member
16. Arc. Ini Orok Representative of Akwa Ibom State, Member
17. Arc. Baba Mohammed-Dadi, FNIA – Representative of Bauchi State, Member
18. Arc. Oluwafemi Abogunrin, MNIA – Representative of Kwara State, Member
19. QS. Halima Ali Baba – Representative of Kano State, Member
20. Mr. Hakeem Smith – Representative of Lagos State, Member
21. Obi Okonkwo (Barr., Arc., Engr.) – Representative of Anambra State, Member
Congratulating the appointees, Belgore urged them to bring their professional competence and patriotism to bear in discharging their duties.
The NBCAC, as provided under Section 3 of the National Building Code, is mandated to periodically review the Code, guide technical sub-committees on design, construction, and post-construction matters, and recommend reforms to the Minister. Members are expected to serve a three-year term, renewable for another three years.
Declaring the Committee inaugurated, Hon. Yusuf Abdullahi Ata reaffirmed government’s commitment to enforcing the Building Code as part of efforts to deliver safe, decent, and affordable housing and to rebuild confidence in Nigeria’s construction industry.
