The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) has disclosed that at least twenty two (22) cases of building collapse had been recorded in the country from January to 14th July, 2024 alone.
President of COREN, Engr. Prof. Zubairu Abubakar stated this on Wednesday, July 17, 2024 at a press briefing on the Incessant Spate of Building Collapse in Nigeria held in Abuja.
Abubakar explained that the Council was perturbed by the incessant and avoidable incidences of building collapse in Nigeria and loss of lives in recent times. Therefore, it deemed it fit to call the press conference for the purpose of information and collaboration between all stakeholders in steming the tide of the menace.
He noted that building collapse was not just peculiar to Nigeria but occurred globally for so many reasons ranging from natural causes to man-made causes, adding that some buildings collapse as a result of aging too as they may have outlived their useful life span without adequate maintenance.
He further informed that the leading causes vary from one location to the other but from some investigations and researches conducted over time they include use of substandard construction materials, structural failure, illegal change of use of buildings, illegal addition of floors, quackery, inadequate or lack of supervision and oversight, faulty foundations or lack of conduct of soil/geotechnical investigation, sharp and corrupt practices amongst others.
“COREN received reports of the rising cost of cement which is a basic material
for construction and inadequate diameter for reinforcement rods in the market as a recipe for further occurrences of this menace.
“While relevant professionals continue to engage cement manufacturers through relevant joint committee of the National Assembly to stem the rising cost of the product and make it affordable to Nigerians, we will continue to collaborate with the Standards Organization of Nigeria towards sanitising the market of inappropriate building materials as much as practicable”, the COREN President said.
Speaking further, Abubakar revealed that Lagos state recorded the highest number of building collapse this year and no number of casualties from 2012 to date:
“From January to 14th July, 2024 alone, at least twenty-two (22) cases of building collapse have been reported in Nigeria with Lagos accounting for 27.27%, Abuja and Anambra 18.18% each, Ekiti and Plateau 9.09% each and Kano, Taraba and Niger States accounting for 4.55% each.
“Records have also shown that Lagos takes the lead in the incidences of building collapse. As a matter of fact, over 91 buildings have collapse resulting in the death of over 354 persons in Lagos from 2012 to date.
“Similarly in Abuja, about 30 buildings have collapsed from 1993 till date resulting in the death of more than 64 persons and injury of many.
“The most recent occurrences of building collapse close to DMGS Onitsha, Anambra state on the 12th of June, 2024, a School (Saint Academy) in Plateau state on Friday, 13th July, 2024 where it was reported that 22 students died and 134 injured as well the building collapse in Kubwa, Abuja on Saturday, 14th July 2024 where five (5) persons were rescued is worrisome and calls for deep reflection and collaboration of all stakeholders in steming the tide”, he said.
He therefore called for collaboration between stakeholders within the built environment to proffer workable and lasting solution particularly in the prevention of building collapses.
