Author: The Nation

The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), Prof. Sampson Duna, has called on state governments across the country to establish standard construction material testing laboratories as a critical step toward ending the persistent collapse of buildings and roads caused by substandard materials.

Prof. Duna made the call while delivering a keynote address at a one-day stakeholders’ workshop on Quality Assurance of Construction Materials in Enugu State, held at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Enugu.

He warned that the use of substandard construction materials poses serious risks to lives and public investments, stressing that effective supervision alone is insufficient without functional laboratories to verify the quality of materials used in public infrastructure.

According to him, NBRRI has investigated about 80 collapsed buildings across Nigeria, with findings showing that the dominant cause was the use of materials that failed to meet required standards.

He attributed the trend largely to contractors’ pursuit of sharp profits at the expense of safety and durability.

The NBRRI boss said supervisors of public projects must ensure that contractors and engineers strictly comply with approved standards, noting that many failures occur because authorities lack the equipment to test what contractors bring to sites.

He identified substandard electrical cables as a major cause of fire outbreaks in homes, while pointing to inadequate testing of bitumen and asphalt as a key factor behind perennial road failures in Nigeria.

“States, like Enugu, which are doing a good job, must establish standard laboratories to end perennial road collapses, building collapses, and other infrastructure challenges.

“Without proper equipment, states often cannot confirm whether asphalt and other materials meet specifications. Most times, we don’t know that what the contractor is bringing is not of good quality. That’s why you must always check that the quality of asphalt used for road construction meets the standard, and it is this testing equipment that can guarantee that.

“The government needs to confirm the quality of jobs that contractors have delivered so as not to return to the same job after a few months or years, Duna said.

While commending the quality of some road projects executed in Enugu State, Prof. Duna said sustaining such standards requires the establishment of well-equipped laboratories for testing bitumen, steel, cables, and other critical inputs.

He noted that most steel products sold in Nigeria do not meet standard requirements, making steel-testing machines indispensable.

He also urged state governments to identify reputable construction firms and periodically issue certificates of competency, as well as to verify the quality of completed projects to avoid returning to the same sites for repairs within months or years.

Speaking on behalf of Governor Peter Mbah, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said the administration’s development agenda is anchored on institutional discipline, data-driven governance, and accelerated infrastructure delivery for inclusive economic growth.

Onyia said the governor’s vision is not just to deliver visible projects but to ensure durability, safety, and long-term economic value, adding that the state is committing significant resources toward establishing standard laboratories because quality remains central to Enugu’s infrastructure drive.

He said the commitment to quality is evident in the construction of smart schools and hospitals, as well as the expansion of road networks across the state, stressing that Enugu is determined to build infrastructure that is safe, durable, and globally competitive.

The state Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ben Osy Okoh, who reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening construction standards, said the workshop was aimed at promoting regulatory compliance, improving testing and supervision, and ensuring the use of quality construction materials across the state.

He noted that the initiative aligns with the ongoing infrastructural development drive of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s administration.

Okoh stressed that quality materials remain the backbone of durable and resilient infrastructure, adding that enhanced collaboration among regulators, professionals, contractors, and material suppliers would help guarantee the longevity of public assets and boost public confidence in government projects.