Building Materials Now Account for Up to 75% of Construction Costs — Experts

Industry stakeholders have warned that the escalating cost of building materials is making homeownership increasingly difficult and contributing to higher rents and abandoned construction projects across Nigeria.

Professor Bolaji Wahab, a former chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Building, said materials now represent between 65 and 75 per cent of the total cost of delivering a building project.

Wahab attributed the increases to Nigeria’s dependence on imported materials and inputs, foreign-exchange pressures, expensive energy, poor roads, high transportation costs, multiple taxes, insecurity and commercial lending rates reportedly reaching 26.5 per cent.

Building engineer Adekunle Balogun said a 50-kilogramme bag of cement, which sold for between ₦2,500 and ₦3,000 in 2020, now costs approximately ₦12,500 to ₦15,000, depending on the location.

He added that the price of a tonne of 12mm reinforcement steel had risen from about ₦250,000 to between ₦800,000 and ₦950,000. Blocks, roofing sheets, timber and nails have also recorded significant increases.

Stakeholders said the rising costs were forcing private builders to suspend projects while developers reduced the scale of planned developments. The resulting pressure on housing supply has also contributed to rent increases in major cities.

Wahab urged the government to support domestic manufacturing through single-digit financing, tax incentives, improved electricity supply and better transport infrastructure.

He also recommended increased investment in research, technical education and nationally recognised certification for construction artisans.

Greater local production of cement, steel, tiles, roofing materials and fittings, stakeholders argued, would reduce exposure to foreign-exchange fluctuations and make housing delivery more affordable.

Source: The Sun Nigeria.

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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 urged construction professionals to take a more active role in shaping government policies on housing and building development.

The institute said stronger professional input could help Nigeria address its housing challenges while improving building quality and safety. It also called for closer cooperation between government and professionals across the built environment.

The NIOB President, Abimbola Daniel Kolade, made the call ahead of the institute’s 56th Builders’ Conference and Annual General Meeting in Abuja.

NIOB seeks stronger housing policies

Kolade said builders and other professionals should contribute more to national discussions on housing delivery. He identified affordable housing, building quality and the enforcement of construction standards as key areas requiring greater attention.

He also called for policies that support sustainable infrastructure and better training and certification for construction workers.

According to the NIOB president, government agencies, professionals, private companies and other stakeholders need to work together to improve housing delivery.

The institute said stronger collaboration could help address some of the problems affecting construction and housing development across the country.

Building standards remain a priority

Building regulation remains an important part of housing delivery because construction standards affect the safety, durability and quality of homes and other structures.

The NIOB’s position also places professional training and certification at the centre of efforts to improve construction standards. Better skills among workers can support improved building practices and help professionals meet required standards.

The institute said policy decisions should therefore reflect the practical experience of professionals who work directly within the construction sector.

Conference to examine industry challenges

The 3rd Vice President of NIOB and Chairman of its Marketing and Corporate Affairs Committee, Dr Adeshina Aladeloba, said preparations for the institute’s conference had been completed.

He said the Abuja event would bring together builders, policymakers, government officials, corporate organisations and other industry stakeholders.

The participants are expected to examine challenges affecting the construction industry and discuss possible solutions.

The conference will also provide an opportunity for professionals to engage with policymakers and other stakeholders on issues affecting housing and construction.

Built environment professionals urged to collaborate

NIOB National Publicity Secretary, Usenobong Emmanuel Atangaedi, said progress in the built environment would require cooperation among different professional groups.

He identified architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, estate surveyors and valuers, and town planners as part of the wider group that must contribute to solving industry challenges.

The call reflects the interconnected nature of housing development. A housing project depends not only on builders but also on planning, design, valuation, infrastructure, financing and effective regulation.

Implications for housing development

The institute’s position comes at a time when housing affordability and construction quality remain important issues for Nigeria’s built environment.

Housing policy affects how homes are planned, financed and delivered. Building standards also influence construction costs, project timelines and the long-term performance of buildings.

Greater professional participation in policymaking could help bridge the gap between government policy and conditions on construction sites. It could also support better coordination between public agencies, developers and professionals.

The NIOB’s call for stronger standards, improved training and wider professional participation therefore extends beyond the construction industry. It touches on the quality, safety and affordability of housing and the broader development of Nigeria’s urban areas.

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Former Senate President, Pius Anyim, has urged all Nigerian states to adopt national building laws to curb the frequent cases of building collapses.

Speaking at the 55th Annual Conference of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) in Abakaliki, Anyim said the laws provide the foundation for safe and sustainable construction.

“The laws set minimum standards for design, construction, and maintenance. They also mandate professional certification while preventing quackery and unapproved projects,” he explained.

Anyim noted that some states have domesticated the laws, aligning with global best practices. However, many states are still behind, creating gaps in regulation.

“Where domestication is absent, enforcement is weak. This results in collapses, fire hazards, substandard projects, and urban disorder,” he warned.

He called for full adoption of the laws across all 36 states and the FCT, stressing that compliance would protect lives, attract investments, and build a resilient Nigeria.

Anyim commended the NIOB for advancing discussions on safety and thanked Governor Francis Nwifuru for hosting the conference. He also appealed to professional bodies, regulators, and governments to support stronger enforcement.

“Builders must not only comply but also advocate for institutionalisation. This is how we restore public trust and ensure safer cities,” he concluded.

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