The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) reported that Nigeria experienced 22 building collapses from January to July 2024, resulting in 33 deaths.
COREN President, Sadiq Abubakar, announced these statistics at a news conference in Abuja, themed “The Incessant Spate of Building Collapse in Nigeria in Recent Times – A Call for Sustainable Collaboration by All Stakeholders.”
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Abubakar revealed that Lagos accounted for 27.27% of the collapses, while Abuja and Anambra each recorded 18.18%. Ekiti and Plateau followed with 9.09% each, and Kano, Taraba, and Niger states had 4.55% each.
“Lagos leads in building collapse incidents,” Abubakar said. “Since 2012, over 91 buildings have collapsed in Lagos, resulting in the deaths of more than 354 people. In Abuja, about 30 buildings have collapsed since 1993, leading to over 64 deaths and numerous injuries.”
Recent incidents include a collapse near DMGS Onitsha, Anambra State, on June 12, and the collapse of a school (Saint Academy) in Plateau on July 13, where 22 students died, and 134 were injured, along with a collapse in Kubwa, Abuja.
Abubakar emphasized the need for reflection and collaboration among stakeholders to address the problem. “While we sympathize with the victims and their families, we commend emergency and security services for their prompt responses,” he said.
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The causes of building collapses, according to Abubakar, vary by location but often include aging structures, use of substandard materials, structural failures, illegal changes in building use, unauthorized additions of floors, inadequate supervision, and corruption.
He also mentioned issues like faulty foundations and the lack of soil or geotechnical investigations.
Abubakar praised state governments for setting up panels to investigate collapses and recommended that stakeholders unite to find lasting solutions.
“This is not a time for blame but for all professionals in the built environment to work together,” he said.
He also raised concerns about illegal mining activities within residential areas, which threaten the structural stability of buildings.
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To combat building collapses, COREN has taken steps including training and licensing Engineering Regulation Monitoring (ERM) inspectors.
The council has reconstituted its Committee on Engineering Regulation Monitoring, adding enforcement duties as per the amended COREN Act.
Additionally, COREN has established an ERM&E Task Force in regions such as Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano, FCT, Gombe, and Lagos to tackle the issue comprehensively.
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