Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN) has called on the incoming president of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Professor Kingsley Ogboi, to make building collapse prevention, development control, and professional accountability the central pillars of his administration.
The group made the call, following a building collapse in Lagos, October 23, which left one person dead and three construction workers injured, adding to a long history of structural failures in Nigeria, including the 2021 Ikoyi collapse (46 deaths), the 2014 Synagogue Church disaster, and the 2024 school building collapse in Jos, Plateau State (22 deaths).
In a statement by HDAN’s Executive Director, Festus Adebayo, the group outlined critical areas requiring immediate action following the Institute’s 57th International Conference and Annual General Meeting in Lagos.
It wants the professional body to implement a risk-based audit targeting distressed buildings, aging structures, unauthorized high-rise developments, and properties undergoing major modifications.
Besides, it asked the body to establish clear, standardized processes spanning development approvals, structural certification, construction-stage inspections, enforcement, and occupation permits.
‘Roll out public-facing digital approval portals allowing property buyers and citizens to verify the legal status, approved specifications, and regulatory certifications of any project.
‘Spearhead collaboration with key industry bodies, including the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), the Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers (NIStructE), and the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON).
‘Mandate the publication of all post-collapse investigation findings and enforce strict legal and professional penalties for regulatory violations, negligence, or misconduct,’ the statement read.
HDAN emphasised that building safety extends beyond technical construction metrics to encompass public safety, governance, and national economic security.
According to the group, unsafe construction undermines investor confidence, destroys wealth, and jeopardizes lives.
To break the cycle of recurring tragedies, HDAN urged the new NITP leadership to demand clear answers to three fundamental questions after every incident: Who approved the building design and site plans? Who was responsible for monitoring compliance during active construction? What specific reforms will be enacted to ensure a similar failure never happens again?
‘Building safety should not be treated merely as a technical concern of engineers and contractors. It is a governance issue, a public safety issue, an investment protection issue, and an essential component of sustainable housing development. The time to prevent the next building collapse is now-not after another life has been lost,’ the group said.