Buildings are collapsing because there is no enabling code that specifies the standard for erecting multiple-storey structures, the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) has submitted.

Its President, Alderton Ewa Ewa, who made the observation in Abuja when he paid a courtesy visit to Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Kangiwa, urged his host to liaise with the National Assembly for speedy passage of the law. “The minister should please liaise with the legislative arms of government (Senate and House of Representatives) for the enactment of the National Building Code, which is one of the major challenges that is affecting building production and leading to so many collapses in the country,” he appealed. Ewa also implored the Kangiwa to create an avenue where all professional bodies in the built environment could come together for the success of building production in the country. He noted that it would be difficult for Nigeria to address its housing deficit if land is not provided to developers by state governments nationwide. The NIOB boss said: “We implore the minister to seek release of land for housing development in all states of the federation and Abuja. That all state governors, as a matter of reducing housing deficit, should allocate land to real estate developers and local governments.” Ewa, who deplored administration of mortgages in the country, advised the minister to encourage the mortgage bank to give loans to real estate developers at affordable interest, with collateral monitored for refund. In his remarks, Kangiwa, who pledged the readiness of the ministry to work with NIOB, stressed the importance of the construction sector to the realisation of the current administration’s objectives of creating jobs for Nigerians. His words: “Construction is one of the surest ways of ensuring that we grow the economy and lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty, while also creating an enabling environment for sustainability.”

“The NIOB is one of the drivers of this set goal of the President Tinubu administration.” He listed challenges confronting the industry that needed urgent attention to include rapid urbanisation, housing production, deficit, enforcement of standards and informal settlements. Dangiwa said his team is in the process of producing an actionable plan to drive actualisation of the government’s set goals.