- Lagos State recorded its lowest building collapse rate in 20 years in 2025, but leaders stress continued vigilance.
- Stakeholders identified corruption, substandard materials, and weak enforcement as major causes of building collapse.
- Sanwo-Olu proposed a building tribunal, while Olowa called for zero tolerance for unsafe construction.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the Executive Chairman of Ibeju-Lekki Local Government, Hon. Abdullahi Sesan Olowa, has reiterated his commitment to safe building practices, joining His Excellency, Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, at the National Building Safety and Structural Integrity Initiative (NBSSII) stakeholders engagement organised by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA).
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Themed “Incessant Building Collapse in Nigeria: The Need for Strict Adherence to Building Codes and Regulations”, the meeting focused on preventing tragedies that have claimed lives, destroyed property, and shaken public confidence.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, in his keynote address, described building collapse as a preventable disaster when best practices are followed. “Every building in Lagos should be a place of safety, not a source of danger,” he said.
Highlighting that 2025 recorded the lowest rate of building collapse in two decades, he stressed that more still needs to be done.
“We are enforcing tougher building codes, empowering our agencies, and holding everyone accountable. But safety is a shared duty and we cannot do it alone.”
He also proposed a public awareness campaign, stronger collaboration with professional bodies, and the establishment of a building tribunal for prosecuting offenders.
“It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure ethical integrity and be patriotic at all times in order to ensure safety of life and properties,” he added.
Hon. Olowa commended the state government’s stance, noting the urgency for strict compliance in a rapidly developing Ibeju-Lekki.
“Unsafe construction should have no place in Ibeju-Lekki,” he said. He urged professionals to reject unsafe practices, adding:
“Never sign off on works that put lives at risk. Together, we can make building collapses a thing of the past in Lagos State.”
Discussions at the engagement identified major causes of building collapse, including poor engineering supervision, use of substandard materials, weak designs, corruption in planning approvals, and inadequate enforcement of building regulations.
Proposed solutions included strengthening enforcement mechanisms, promoting professionalism and transparency, enhancing regulatory capacity, digitalizing approval processes, and ensuring qualified professionals oversee inspections and planning approvals.
