The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, gave the charge while opening the 56th Builders’ Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) in Abuja.
Akume said the government was committed to improving housing delivery through quality construction, increased use of locally produced building materials and stronger collaboration with professionals under the Renewed Hope Housing Agenda.
He described housing as more than physical structures, saying it provides safety, dignity, family stability and opportunities for wealth creation.
The SGF stressed that every completed building must demonstrate the competence and ethical responsibility of professional builders.
He warned that Nigeria’s growing population, projected to reach about 450 million by 2050, required stricter adherence to construction standards and an end to the use of substandard materials, poor supervision and unqualified personnel.
Akume also urged registered builders not to lend their names or professional seals to projects they did not supervise, describing the practice as a threat to public safety, professional credibility and public trust.
He called for wider adoption of modern construction methods, transparent procurement and stronger domestic supply chains to reduce construction costs and make housing more affordable.
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaqa Darma, represented by Musa Abdullahi, identified recurring building collapses as one of the sector’s major challenges.
He said builders had a critical role in ensuring compliance with construction standards through quality control, material testing and effective site supervision.
Darma urged participants at the conference to develop practical policy recommendations that could improve housing delivery and strengthen safety in the built environment.
President of the NIOB, Builder Daniel Kolade, said the institute had intensified nationwide advocacy against building collapse and professional quackery.
He said the institute looked forward to marking March 13 as National Builders’ Day to commemorate victims of a tragic building collapse in Lagos and raise public awareness about the importance of engaging qualified building professionals.
Kolade expressed confidence that sustained advocacy, stronger regulation and collaboration between government and industry stakeholders would help reduce building collapses and improve safety at construction sites.
The conference, themed ‘Repositioning the Building Profession: Advocacy and Policy Influence on Housing Delivery for a Sustainable Built Environment,’ brought together policymakers, builders and other construction industry stakeholders to address challenges confronting Nigeria’s housing sector.