Over 120 Children Lost To Building Collapse In Nigeria

By Okey Maduforo 

Over 120 children have been lost to incidents of building collapse in Nigeria due to poor construction of buildings and failure to adhere to the National Building Code.

This is coming as the Nigerian Institute Of Buildings (NIOB) had commenced advocacy in all tertiary institutions in Anambra state ah ad of the 2026 rainy seasons aimed at averting future occurrences.

According to the Anambra state Chairman of the NIgerian Institute Of Buildings NIOB Bldr Ikenna Okpalla during this year's Builders Day celebration; 

"This is a National disaster and you can agree with me that since the year 2019 till this year the number must have increased and this is on the account of poor construction management and failure to adhere to the National Building Code" 

"As this year's rainy commences you would soon begin to hear of building collapse in the country which is largely caused also by those who are not professional builders who are engaged by unsuspecting clients " he said.

This year's Builders Day celebration was marked by visits to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka , Federal Collage of Education Technical Umunze and the Federal Polytechnic Okoh where the body interfaced with students and lecturers in the Department of Building.

In his address at those occasions , the National President of the NIgerian Institute Of Buildings NIOB Bldr Daniel Abimbola Kalade explained that ; 

"Builders’ Day provides us with an important platform to reflect on the progress of our profession; as we assess the challenges confronting the construction industry, and renew our collective commitment to advancing a safe, sustainable, and resilient built environment"

"The theme of this year’s celebration, “Advocacy and Policy Influence towards Sustainable Reforms for a Resilient Built Environment,” resonates with the facts that:" 

"The success of any clime depends, to a large extent; on the success of the country’s legal system (Advocacy and Policy Influence); knowing that the beauty of any law is precision. "

"The success of adoption of Reforms depends on the openness of governance, and Materiality of the Level of individual and corporate Adaptability and Flexibility to achieving Resilient Built Environment"

 He however reiterated that; "The NIgerian Institute of Building has remained committed to promoting professionalism, ethical standards, and quality assurance within the building industry"

 "The Institute will continue to engage with government, regulatory agencies, and industry stakeholders to ensure that policies guiding the built environment reflect global best practices and respond effectively to local challenges'

"It is in recognition of this critical need that the Nigerian Institute of Building is today entering into a strategic partnership with West African Ceramics Limited through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the training and capacity development of construction artisans"

"This partnership represents a significant step towards strengthening technical competence within the construction workforce and promoting the use of modern building materials and best construction practices"

"The Institute remains committed to working with industry partners, training institutions, and government agencies "

"The responsibility for reforming and strengthening the built environment sector is a shared one. Government, professional bodies, private sector organizations, and educational institutions must work together to ensure that policies, standards, and practices continue to aligned with the demands of sustainable development "he stated.