As Nigeria marks 65 years of independence, British-Nigerian lawyer and academic Abiola Aderibigbe, widely recognised as an international construction law expert, has urged that the nation’s freedom must be measured not only in political milestones, but in the safety and dignity of its people.
In his Independence Day message, Aderibigbe extended greetings to Nigerians at home and in the diaspora.
“I say Happy Independence to all Nigerians at home and abroad. This is a day of pride and gratitude, but also of responsibility. Our parents and grandparents fought for the political freedom we celebrate today. Our generation must now make that independence meaningful by protecting lives, ensuring safety, and restoring public trust in our buildings and infrastructure,” he said.
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Widely described as one of the loudest voices behind the proposed Nigerian Construction Act, Aderibigbe said his advocacy, which kicked off at the beginning of September 2025, was further strengthened in the wake of recent tragedies — the Yaba building collapse, the Afriland Towers fire, the Alimosho collapse in Lagos, and the Awka collapse in Anambra.
“These events show the crisis is nationwide, not localised. They are reminders that without urgent reform, Nigerians remain at daily risk,” he stressed.
In July, Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu called for a unified building code to reduce collapses. Aderibigbe welcomed that intervention but his proposal goes further — presenting, for the first time, a specific legislative structure for a Nigerian Construction Act.
Aderibigbe outlined what he calls “The Five Co-Equal Pillars” of his proposed Nigerian Construction Act: Register and grade contractors to professionalise the industry; Enforce health, safety and environmental standards as statutory duties; Embed governance and anti-corruption safeguards to ensure transparency; Guarantee payment timelines and statutory adjudication to secure cashflow and reduce disputes; Mandate skills transfer and local content obligations to build capacity for future generations.
According to him, these reforms would not only reduce collapses but also unlock billions for the Nigerian Government and attract billions more in infrastructure investment, by aligning Nigeria’s construction and infrastructure sector with the expectations of development finance and private lending institutions.
“Our parents and grandparents fought for independence from colonial rule. Our generation must fight for a safer, stronger Nigeria — where every building is worthy of the flag it stands under. A Construction Act is not just legal reform — it is how we make independence real in the daily lives of our people. Because in construction, building safety means saving lives,” Aderibigbe concluded.
