Chief Executive Officer, Adrian Homes Limited, Toyin Amuzu is a building construction expert, astute estate developer and one of the top tier realtors in the country. In this interview with Ibrahim Yusuf, Amuzu shares insights on the recurring problem of building collapse, offering suggestions on the way forward and other sundry issues affecting the built and construction landscape. Excerpts:
What would you say is responsible for the rising case of building collapse in the country?
Building collapse has been a major challenge in Nigeria, leading to massive economic and human loss due to wanton destruction of properties and lives. According to the Building Collapse Prevention Guild, BCPG, Nigeria recorded at least 62 catastrophes in 2022, causing 84 deaths and injuring 113 persons. Lagos had 20 cases, while Kano and Anambra recorded five building accidents each, and Delta and Jigawa four each. Also, 135 cases were reported between 2007 and 2013. Ghana’s capital, Accra, in contrast, had only eight building collapses between February, 2000 and April, 2016. We have witnessed a series of building collapse cases in Nigeria, a major collapse occurred in Abuja on Wednesday night, August 23, 2023 leaving two persons dead and 37 rescued, another two- storey building collapsed on Thursday, May 30 this year at Idunganran Street, on Lagos Island.
Talking about the spate of recurrence, with my years of experience in building construction and drawing from my previous research, I have observed that high-rise residential buildings, old and substandard buildings make up most of the collapses in Nigeria. The reasons for such incidents basically include the use of substandard materials and unqualified or unskilled builders.
In other words, the reasons a building collapses can be due to poor structural design, poor compliance with specifications, poor quality control, faulty construction methodology, foundation failure, and corruption. Natural disasters are also identified as a cause of building collapse.
Other factors include non-adherence to the National Building Code, old or weak structure, illegal conversion of existing structures and ineffective monitoring by regulatory agencies among other reasons.
What is the national building code in Nigeria?
The National Building Code was signed into law in 2007 by the civilian government of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo after a series of building collapses in Nigeria especially in Lagos. The National Building Code is a guide Adrian Homes holds high in our day-to-day construction activities. The code provides necessary guides on general specifications for materials and quality control to ensure that the materials meet minimum standards. It provides minimum standards to safeguard life and property and further guarantees public health and safety for different building types. There are building regulations which warn against building on waterways or under high tension power lines; wants builders to observe stipulated setbacks and airspace; preaches the use of professionals in the building industry for your construction and obtaining the necessary permits from the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development or other government concerns.
Read Also: Why FG must improve Nigeria’s economy, by ex-Osun lawmaker
Is the national building code the only guide in building construction in Nigeria and how important is it?
No, there are other codes like the State building Codes, Local building codes, international building codes, Green building codes and others. However, the national building code is a thorough collection of guidelines for the Nigerian construction sector, to guarantee that buildings are built in accordance with specific criteria and norms as approved by the Federal Government.
The National Building Code covers a number of aspects relating to the construction and development of buildings, such as site preparation, design, supplies, and construction methods.
It also offers instructions for the installation of services including plumbing, ventilation, and electricity. The purpose of the code is to guarantee that structures are secure, environmentally friendly, and generally habitable by their occupants. All types of real estate are subject to the national building code, including residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings. In Nigeria, the national building code is a requirement for all construction projects, and failing to abide by the code can lead to fines, penalties, and legal action. To keep the National Building Code current and useful, it is reviewed and modified frequently.
The national building code is crucial for ensuring that buildings in Nigeria are built to high standards and that their occupants are safe and comfortable. If you are involved in the construction and development of properties, If you are an architect, developer, engineer, estate surveyor/valuer, or town planner, this is something you need to fully understand, as it has a lot of importance in the real estate world. In simple terms, building codes are regulations established by the government and other regulatory bodies to ensure that buildings are safe and habitable for their occupants, thus it is so important.
So, with all these regulations why then do we still have people flouting these rules?
I must state that the Lagos State government is trying its best to ensure strict monitoring and compliance, in fact, I give it to them. However, people still flout rules due to ignorance, blatant resistance or the involvement of quacks. Having built many befitting accommodation in Adrian Homes for the comfort of people, quality control with the use of qualified professionals and standard materials among other needs, are at the core of our development. Ordinarily, you can’t expect people that are not professional, to do good jobs, they would definitely compromise standards and cut corners. That is part of the corruption I spoke about earlier on.
In another angle, the late Myles Munroe once said, “When the purpose (of a thing) is unknown, abuse is inevitable.” This truism aptly captures the challenge faced by many government institutions as they try to implement certain policies and programmes but meet with a minimal level of compliance or blatant resistance, either due to ignorance or the deliberate disregard of such by the people whom the policies are designed to benefit. Government ministries, departments and agencies in charge of formulating policies, therefore, still have to periodically inform and educate the public of the raison d’etre for their activities so that members of the public can comply with stipulated rules and regulations from a position of knowledge. Public sensitisation is key in this regard.
Has Adrian Homes experienced such collapse before?
To the glory of God, there has been no case of building collapse because we never compromised standards. At Adrian Homes we prioritise quality construction, meticulous attention to detail, and a focus on delivering exceptional finishes. The company embraces eco-friendly building methods, energy-efficient solutions, and cutting-edge technologies to create sustainable and future-proof spaces. Adrian Homes can boast of a team of seasoned professionals, skilled artisans, and expert project managers who ensure efficient and smooth project delivery. In the industry, Adrian Homes has become a force to reckon with as we hold relevant certifications, demonstrating our commitment to quality, safety, and industry best practices. Adrian Homes differentiates itself in the market, attracting discerning clients seeking high-quality construction services.
When a building collapses, what effect or consequences would it have on the society?
The loss are so many, there is loss of lives and the economic loss, which include loss of property, Loss of annual income/capital investment, Loss of materials, Bankruptcy of the investor/developer, Decrease in the contributions of real estate sector to the nation’s GDP, Loss of investment, Increase in the cost of maintenance, shortage in the supply of real estate facilities.
So how do we curb incidences of building collapse in Nigeria?
There is the need for the Federal Government to strengthen the National Building Code, put in place a Construction Industry Commission, enhance training and retraining of building practitioners and put in place strict adherence to using quality building materials according to specifications to ensure building safety, stability and sustainability especially now that prices of building materials are on the high side.
Given the disastrous state of building development in Nigeria in the past four years, the federal government must consider testing the integrity of buildings. The starting point is to recognise that high-rise structures are not at the highest risk of collapse. This could be due to structural inadequacies and professional ineptitude. Urgent and frequent integrity tests of all high-rise buildings, especially those built many years ago are in particular need of testing. A structural integrity test confirms the stability of buildings and determines whether they are fit for people to live in. Government must also ensure that buildings that are not structurally habitable are strengthened. Government must ensure that only acceptable high quality building materials either locally produced or imported gets to the market. It must identify and prosecute landowners, investors, consultants, architects, quantity surveyors and engineers involved in previous cases of collapse. It must also publish all permits received during those projects and all documents related to safety testing.
This will show its commitment to putting an end to the loss of lives and property. It will also enable a thorough investigation into the causes of building collapses and ensure there are consequences for failures. Agencies and ministries of government responsible for monitoring the construction process must be upgraded. A total overhaul and restructuring of all the agencies and ministries responsible for monitoring the construction process is urgently required. Improved tactics and logistics in monitoring construction could also be deployed. The government must ensure that builders, engineers, and architects receive proper training and certification. Government must also collaborate with professional bodies and make sure that individuals or building developers consult certified professionals. By the time Building Codes and Regulations are strengthened and construction standards are adhered to strictly and regularly updated to reflect best practices, with inspection, monitoring, public awareness, training of practitioners and enforcement the job of combating building collapse would have been done
