Nigerian Govt, Lagos Partner to Combat Building Collapse Crisis

The Federal Government, in partnership with the Lagos State Government, has unveiled a national campaign to combat the recurring menace of building collapses, a crisis that has killed hundreds of lives across Nigeria in recent years.

The initiative, known as the National Building Safety and Structural Integrity Initiative, NBSSII, will involve a comprehensive audit of existing structures nationwide, the enforcement of uniform inspection and certification standards, and the deployment of real-time e-GIS mapping technology for continuous monitoring.

As part of the programme, a National Building Code Advisory Committee will be inaugurated, while a ministerial task team will be set up to probe the root causes of building failures.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ workshop on the NBSSII in Lagos, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, represented by Permanent Secretary Dr Shuaib Belgore, lamented that collapses often stem from poor designs, substandard materials, and weak enforcement of regulations.

“Every building collapse is not just about the lives lost but also about the broken trust between government, professionals, and citizens. We must restore that trust by ensuring that every structure meets safety standards from design to completion,” Dangiwa said.

The workshop, jointly organised by Lagos State and the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, is part of a national awareness drive to strengthen compliance and technical standards in the construction industry.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who hosted the event at Tafawa Balewa Square, hailed the collaboration as a milestone in the quest for safer cities. He pointed to Lagos’ Certified Structural Integrity Programme, CSIP, as a model for other states, stressing that safety requires collective responsibility from regulators, industry professionals, and the public.

“We must build for life, not for collapse. This is not just about compliance; it is about protecting our people and safeguarding our cities for generations to come,” Sanwo-Olu stated.

The NBSSII will first be implemented in high-risk states before expanding nationwide. Authorities have pledged stiff penalties for defaulters and widespread public sensitisation to empower citizens to demand and maintain structural safety.