The Nigerian Institution of Building (NIOB) has warned that quacks pose a serious threat to building safety in Nigeria.

The NIOB President, Mr Daniel Kolade, spoke on Saturday at the closing ceremony of the institution’s 56th annual conference in Abuja.

The conference focused on “Repositioning the Building Profession, Advocacy and Policy Influence in Housing Delivery for a Sustainable Built Environment.”

NIOB Calls for Action Against Quacks

Kolade said the conference gave builders from across Nigeria a chance to discuss key challenges in the building sector.

He said the discussions also examined ways to improve housing delivery through better policies and stronger professional practice.

According to Kolade, government, professionals and the public must work together to tackle quackery in the construction industry.

He called on the Federal Government to give full legal backing to the National Building Code.

Some states have already adopted the code. However, Kolade said stronger federal action remains necessary.

He said better enforcement would help improve compliance with building standards and reduce the risk of building collapse.

NIOB Wants Prevention of Building Collapse

Kolade also raised concerns about the repeated cases of building collapse across Nigeria.

He questioned whether government action after a building collapse has stopped the problem from happening again.

The NIOB president said authorities should focus more on preventing building failures.

He also called for stricter enforcement of approved construction standards.

Building collapse remains a major concern for Nigeria’s housing sector. Such incidents can lead to deaths, property losses and higher costs for affected families and investors.

Public Urged to Hire Qualified Professionals

Kolade urged professionals in the built environment to perform their duties with care.

He also warned Nigerians against giving professional construction work to unqualified people.

He described a quack as a person who claims to handle almost every part of a building project without the required training or certification.

Such work may include preparing building designs, construction and maintenance.

Kolade advised property owners to check the qualifications of people they hire for building projects.

He said Nigerians should not sacrifice safety in an attempt to reduce construction costs.

The NIOB president encouraged property owners to engage qualified builders, architects, engineers and other relevant professionals.

Professional Standards Key to Safer Housing

Kolade said professional involvement at every stage of construction can help reduce construction risks.

Qualified professionals can help identify poor workmanship, design problems and failures to meet building regulations.

This issue is important as Nigeria works to increase housing supply.

The country needs more homes, but new housing must also meet safety and quality standards.

Poor construction practices can increase risks for homeowners, tenants, developers and investors.

NIOB Supports Renewed Hope Housing

Kolade said the NIOB remains ready to support the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Initiative.

He specifically mentioned the Renewed Hope Housing projects across the country.

However, he called for policies that would increase the role of qualified professionals in government housing programmes.

He said professional input would help ensure that housing projects meet required standards.

Kolade also welcomed the position presented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume.

Akume chaired the opening ceremony of the NIOB conference.

Kolade said the NIOB would continue to work with the government and other stakeholders to improve the building industry.

He also said the institution would support efforts to promote sustainable housing delivery.

NIOB Says Quacks Have No Hiding Place

Kolade said the NIOB would intensify efforts to identify unqualified practitioners in the industry.

He urged professionals to challenge practices that put building safety at risk.

“My message for them is that they should just know that their time is over. There is no more hiding place for those quacks within the industry,” he said.

The statement reflects the institution’s growing focus on professional standards and accountability within the building sector.

Jos North Chairman Calls for Compliance

Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of Jos North Local Government, Plateau, Mr John Christopher, called for strict compliance with approved building standards.

Christopher said quality housing remains important to human life.

He urged young professionals to embrace new ideas while keeping safety and quality at the centre of their work.

He also called for stronger compliance with approved building designs and specifications.

According to him, the rising cases of building collapse make such action necessary.

Christopher further urged the Federal Government to give greater attention to housing development and affordable shelter.

Housing remains one of the basic needs of Nigerians.

The NIOB’s warning highlights a major challenge for Nigeria’s housing and construction sectors. Increasing the supply of homes must go hand in hand with strong regulation and professional practice.

Better enforcement of building standards can help protect lives, property and investment while supporting safer housing delivery across the country.

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The Federal Government has warned that poor workmanship, substandard building materials and the activities of unqualified practitioners could undermine efforts to expand access to safe and affordable housing across Nigeria.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, gave the warning in Abuja while chairing the 56th Annual Conference of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), themed “Repositioning the Building Profession, Advocacy and Policy Influence in Housing Delivery for a Sustainable Built Environment.”

Akume said Nigeria’s housing challenge required more than increasing the number of buildings constructed. He stressed that housing delivery must also focus on safety, affordability, durability and compliance with professional standards.

According to him, housing has implications beyond physical structures, as it affects household security, dignity, family stability, quality of life and the ability of Nigerians to build wealth.

The SGF identified several factors contributing to building failures in the country, including non-compliance with approved specifications, inadequate quality control, improper construction techniques, foundation problems and weak supervision on building sites.

He also warned certified builders against allowing their professional names or seals to be attached to projects they had not supervised. Such practices, he said, could weaken professional accountability and expose occupants to serious risks.

Akume called for greater public education on the consequences of poor construction, noting that defective buildings can result in substantial financial losses as well as loss of lives.

The government official also pointed to affordability as a major barrier to home ownership. Rising construction costs, he said, have made decent housing increasingly difficult for many Nigerian households to afford.

To address the cost challenge, Akume said the Federal Government was supporting the production of building materials across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. The initiative is aimed at increasing domestic production and helping to reduce construction costs.

He urged building professionals to contribute their technical knowledge, research capacity and industry networks to government housing policies and programmes from the design and planning stages through implementation.

Akume also encouraged professionals to work through consortia, introduce auditable quality-management systems, improve the training and certification of artisans, and deepen collaboration with government and reputable private developers.

Representing the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaqha Darma, the Director of Public Buildings, Musa Abdullahi, said recurring building collapses remained a serious concern for the construction industry.

Darma stressed the responsibility of builders in ensuring that construction activities comply with established engineering standards. He highlighted quality control, proper testing of materials and effective site supervision as important safeguards against construction failures.

He urged participants at the conference to develop practical recommendations capable of improving housing delivery and addressing persistent weaknesses within the sector.

Earlier, NIOB President Daniel Kolade said the institute was using advocacy and policy engagement to strengthen the building profession, improve construction standards and increase public awareness of the importance of hiring qualified professionals.

Kolade also identified quackery as a major challenge in the construction sector and advised Nigerians to engage properly qualified professionals when undertaking building projects.

The concerns raised at the conference come as Nigeria continues to grapple with the twin challenges of housing affordability and construction quality. For the housing sector, improving access to homes will therefore depend not only on increasing supply but also on stronger professional oversight, better materials, effective regulation and construction practices that protect the long-term value and safety of buildings.

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The Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) has called on recent graduates, students, and early-career professionals in the construction sector to embrace mentorship and continuous skill development to strengthen their foundation in the industry.

Speaking during his investiture ceremony in Abuja, the newly inaugurated President of NIOB, Daniel Kolade, said his tenure will prioritise innovation, research, and professional capacity-building to prepare the next generation of builders for a rapidly evolving construction landscape.

Kolade noted that the future of the profession depends on how well young practitioners are equipped with ethical values, technical competence, and leadership abilities.

He added that the Institute will roll out targeted programmes to improve their entrepreneurial capability and broaden their understanding of modern construction practices.

“We plan major investments in innovation and research, with emphasis on entrepreneurship, regulatory updates, ethics, and advocacy initiatives that shape policy within the Institute,” he said.

Kolade also revealed that NIOB will deepen collaboration with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and training institutions to expand skills acquisition, competency certification, and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

He further disclosed plans to grow the Institute’s ongoing partnership with the Nigerian Correctional Service to support skill development programmes that promote rehabilitation, empowerment, and national reintegration.

Chairman of the event and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, commended NIOB for promoting professional excellence. He called for stronger policies that reward competence and ethical standards across the construction sector.

Mustapha warned against increasing professional rivalry in the industry, stressing that overlapping roles contribute to poor project delivery and building failures. “The problem in the building industry is that everyone wants to do everything. Architects want to function as engineers, engineers want to double as architects, and surveyors want to take on all roles. This is wrong,” he said.

He urged professionals to respect boundaries, collaborate, and recognise that each discipline plays a crucial role in ensuring safety, quality, and sustainability in the built environment.

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