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.

The post Why Buildings Keep Crumbling in Nigeria appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

This call was made during a national conference organized by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment in Abuja. Themed “Adherence to Standard Practices: Bedrock of Sustainable Development in the Building/Construction Sector,” the conference gathered key players from across the industry to address critical safety and regulatory challenges.

A communique signed by SON Director General, Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, emphasized the urgent need to reinstate SON’s presence at Nigeria’s ports. Thirteen years ago, a directive was issued to remove the organization from ports to ease business operations, but stakeholders argue that this decision has compromised safety. Without direct oversight at the ports, SON cannot physically inspect and verify construction materials before issuing Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) certificates, increasing the risk of substandard materials flooding the market and endangering public safety.

According to SON, the recurring incidents of collapsed buildings stem from non-compliance with established construction standards, the use of inferior materials, and the engagement of unqualified personnel. While Nigeria has adopted several foreign building codes, experts stress that these regulations must be adapted to local environmental and economic conditions to be truly effective. Given the country’s current economic challenges and inflation-driven spikes in construction material prices, adhering to quality standards has become increasingly difficult for developers.

The conference participants strongly advocated for legal enforcement to ensure only certified professionals handle structural designs and construction projects. They recommended that SON enforce stricter certification requirements for all building materials used in Nigeria. Additionally, they called for laws that impose severe penalties on developers, contractors, and clients who fail to comply with safety regulations. A significant proposal from the conference was the mandatory routine integrity testing of buildings, particularly when modifications are made that alter their original structural intent.

Dr. Okeke noted that Nigeria’s rapid urbanization and population growth have placed unprecedented pressure on the construction sector, making quality control more critical than ever. While the demand for affordable housing continues to rise, it is imperative to balance accessibility with safety and sustainability. Despite numerous public awareness campaigns led by SON, many industry stakeholders still lack sufficient knowledge of the standards required for building safe and durable structures.

Another major recommendation from the conference was ensuring that professionals in the building sector operate strictly within their areas of expertise. Contractors, suppliers, and artisans were urged to commit to using only approved materials and strictly adhering to best practices. The participants also emphasized the need for educational institutions to integrate construction safety standards into their curricula to bridge the knowledge gap among future professionals. SON was further encouraged to maintain its active role in international standardization bodies like the African Organisation for Standardisation to align Nigeria’s construction regulations with global best practices.

With the frequency of building collapses posing an ever-growing risk to lives and property, stakeholders insist that immediate government action is necessary. The passage of the National Building Code into law is seen as a critical step toward enhancing construction safety and restoring public confidence in the industry. As discussions continue, the focus remains on the National Assembly to implement decisive policies that will prevent further tragedies and create a safer built environment for all Nigerians.

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