Nearly two decades after Nigeria adopted the National Building Code (NBC), most of it remains ignored. The consequences are deadly buildings collapse regularly, lives are lost, and trust in the construction industry continues to fall.

The code, first approved in 2006 and revised in 2018, was meant to regulate how buildings are planned, built, and maintained. But many states have yet to pass the laws needed to enforce it. As a result, Nigeria’s construction sector runs mostly without rules.

No Rules, No Safety

Cities like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt are growing fast. But without a standard code in place, they are filled with unsafe structures, poor materials, and developers who cut corners.

Experts say the lack of a national enforcement system allows bad practices to thrive. There are no clear guidelines for fire safety, structural strength, or energy efficiency. Many buildings go up without input from qualified professionals.

Investors and Professionals Losing Faith

This lawless environment is not only dangerous it’s also scaring off investors. Developers and insurers are avoiding projects in Nigeria because of the risks involved. Without regulation, no one can guarantee the safety of a building or the return on investment.

Even climate-friendly planning is suffering. The building code includes green building practices, but most developers ignore them. This makes it hard to attract funding for sustainable housing.

Quackery on the Rise

Without proper oversight, unqualified workers dominate the industry. Many developers hire people who are not trained architects or engineers. They often use poor materials and build without approved plans. This leads to weak structures and frequent disasters.

Professionals like architects, quantity surveyors, and engineers say the industry is under threat. Their roles are being sidelined by people who simply want to make a quick profit.

Collapse Statistics Are Alarming

From 1974 to 2025, Nigeria recorded 653 building collapses and over 1,600 deaths. Lagos alone accounts for more than half of these tragedies. For comparison, Kenya recorded just 86 collapses in 10 years and reduced the number sharply after enforcing reforms.

What Experts Are Saying

Obafemi Onashile   Quantity Surveyors Board

He believes the solution is to create a new national commission to regulate construction. He blames poor coordination and lack of oversight for building collapses, rising quackery, and the absence of foreign investment in the sector.

Mobolaji Adeniyi  Nigerian Institute of Architects

Adeniyi says many buildings are approved without input from qualified professionals. She notes common issues like substandard materials, weak foundations, and poor supervision. She calls for digital monitoring, public project registries, and stronger penalties for violators.

Dr. Victor Oyenuga  Structural Engineer

Oyenuga points to basic safety failures like lack of protective gear and poor staircase dimensions in public buildings. He argues that supervision by trained professionals is the only way to ensure safety. Money, he says, should never be placed above human life.

Dr. Jesse Nor  Town Planning Expert

Nor warns that without a legal framework, Nigeria’s building system is chaotic. He calls for stronger enforcement of urban plans and national standards. Without enforcement, he says, all development plans no matter how good will fail.

The Way Forward

Nigeria cannot afford to ignore the building code any longer. States must pass laws to enforce it. Regulatory bodies should be funded, trained, and empowered to act. Public education is also keympeople need to understand the risks of unsafe construction.

Without serious action, buildings will keep falling, lives will keep being lost, and Nigeria’s cities will keep growing in the wrong direction.

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This development follows a strategic agreement between ARCON and the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, facilitated by the Minister, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa. The initiative aims to strengthen technical training and enhance professional capacity within Nigeria’s construction and built environment sectors.

According to ARCON President, Arc. (Sir) Dipo Ajayi, the council has outlined a comprehensive plan to begin operations at the institution. Among the flagship programmes is a three-week Summer Skill Acquisition Camp slated for August 2025, which will target pupils in Primary 4 to 6 and Junior Secondary School classes 1 to 3. Ajayi noted that the camp will be free of charge, ensuring accessibility to students regardless of their background.

In addition to this, the school will introduce Artisan Certification Programmes beginning in October 2025. These will offer practical, hands-on training in fields such as masonry, tiling, plumbing, electrical installation, floor finishes, painting, and plaster of Paris (POP) work.

ARCON has also secured partnerships with several private and professional organisations, including Dulux Paint (Painters’ Academy), the Association of Tilers of Nigeria, So Tech Africa Limited for smart home systems, Project Management Institute, Enable Green Consulting for green building and 3D modelling, and Costech Computers for digital skills certification.

Ajayi described the project as a landmark effort, stating, “This goes beyond education — it’s about creating a lasting legacy and shaping a skilled workforce for Nigeria’s future.”

The initiative aligns with the federal government’s agenda to integrate practical skills into education and promote technical expertise across the country.

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Adeniyi emphasized the acute impact of the relentless surge in building material prices, particularly cement, which has seen a staggering increase from ₦4,500 to ₦13,000 per bag within just three weeks in some regions. In certain areas, prices have soared even higher, reaching up to ₦15,000 per bag. This surge comes despite the local production of cement in Nigeria.

Furthermore, the cost of reinforcement has surpassed ₦1 million per tonne, leading to a projected slowdown in construction activities in the coming months. Adeniyi expressed apprehension that this situation could potentially foster malpractices among unscrupulous contractors and developers, raising concerns about an uptick in building collapses if adequate oversight measures are not implemented.

READ ALSO: Architects’ Association Warns Minister Against Inaugurating ARCON Amid Court Case

Highlighting the absence of local manufacturing for basic construction accessories like nails, Adeniyi commended the government’s engagement with manufacturers to address the rising prices. The NIA urged for a review of outdated construction practices heavily reliant on cement, advocating for a shift towards sustainable architectural solutions supported by scientific principles.

The NIA called on the government to revisit Presidential Executive Order 5, signed into law in 2018, which aims to promote Nigerian content in contracts and prioritize science, engineering, and technology in project planning and execution.

The statement underscores the urgent need for concerted efforts to mitigate the adverse effects of escalating building material costs on the construction industry and national development initiatives.

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In a letter by its lawyers dated Friday, 19^th January, 2024 and received by the Minister which is sighted the Association of Nigerian Chartered Architects expressed that inaugurating new Council members for ARCON while an Appeal is pending at the Court of Appeal over membership status of an entity invited to nominate members will be violating the rule of law which the Minister swore to uphold.

The Association of Nigerian Chartered Architects had instituted a civil suit with Suit No.: FHC/ABJ/CS/1085/2021 between The Incorporated Trustees of Association of Nigerian Chartered Architects vs. Architects Registration Council of Nigeria & 6 Ors where it alleged that the Incorporated Trustees of the Nigeria Institute of Architects (as 3^rd Defendant) registered in November, 2013 with the Corporate Affairs Commission usurped the roles assigned to a Nigerian Institute of Architects mentioned under the Architects (Registration, etc.) Act, Cap. A19, L.F.N., 2004; and its activities of establishing and operating a tertiary educational institution contrary to the Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Act were illegal and promoted quackery in the architectural profession. In furtherance of its usurpation of the Nigerian Institute of Architects mentioned under the Architects (Registration, etc.) Act, the Incorporated Trustees of the Nigeria Institute of Architects also nominates its members to constitute ARCON which is a subject of the suit now on appeal at the Court of Appeal.

The Association also alleged that the Minister of Housing & Urban Development who is the supervising Minister for architectural profession in Nigeria has, through his officers and in concert with the Incorporated Trustees of the Nigeria Institute of Architects concluded plans to reconstitute and inaugurate ARCON on Tuesday, 23^rd January, 2024 while the subject of constitution of members of ARCON, among other issues, has not yet been finally resolved by the court before whom the case is pending.

The Minister was further reminded of the position of the law in Gov., Lagos State vs. Ojukwu (1986) 1 N.W.L.R. (Pt. 18) p. 621 @ 637 to the effect that where a suit is pending, all activities affecting the res are automatically terminated as a mark of respect to the court before whom the case is pending, and the hands of the defendant who has notice are effectually tied pending a hearing and determination even though no restraining order be issued. The Letter which was copied to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister for Justice and signed by C.E.C. Njoku, Esq. (Counsel to Association of Nigerian Chartered Architects) cautioned the Minister to be wary of participating in conducts that will run contrary to the staunch commitment to the defence of the rule of law of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration by inaugurating the new Council members of ARCON on Tuesday, 23^rd January, 2024. It ended by asserting his willingness to carrying out his client’s instruction of initiating contempt proceedings against the Minister, among other options, should the Minister defiantly proceed with the inauguration and reconstitution of ARCON.

Read Also: Ibadan explosion: Police declare owners of building wanted

Source: thenigerialawyer

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