By Ebi Kesiena
The Federal Government of Nigeria has inaugurated a 14-member task team to address the growing threat of building collapses across the country, describing the recurring incidents as a national tragedy requiring immediate and coordinated action.
During the inauguration ceremony held in Abuja, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, decried the alarming frequency of structural failures, which he said had caused needless loss of lives, injuries, destruction of property, and deep psychological trauma for affected families. He described the situation as a national embarrassment that can no longer be ignored.
According to the Minister, the newly constituted task team builds on the work of a previous committee chaired by renowned architect Maji Alkali. That committee had submitted a comprehensive report outlining 18 critical recommendations aimed at tackling the root causes of building collapses in Nigeria. Dangiwa said the reconstitution and expansion of the task team is part of the government’s effort to ensure the effective implementation of those recommendations.
He explained that the task team now includes key regulatory and professional bodies within the built environment. Among them are the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria, the Town Planners Registration Council, the Surveyors Council of Nigeria, the Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria, the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria, and the Building Collapse Prevention Guild.
Dangiwa stressed that the fight against building collapse requires a cross-disciplinary approach, noting that architects, engineers, surveyors, town planners, builders, and estate valuers must work hand in hand to ensure building safety. He reiterated that the ministry is fully committed to supporting the team and will integrate its recommendations into national housing and urban development policies.
The task team has been mandated to develop phased strategies for implementing the earlier committee’s 18-point action plan. The Minister assured that the government will ensure strong regulatory compliance, institutional accountability, and a renewed focus on safety and quality within the construction industry.
