The Minister of Housing and Urban Development in Nigeria, Arc Ahmed Dangiwa, has inaugurated an expanded Ministerial Task Team on Building Collapse.
The move aims to intensify government efforts to combat the rising and troubling incidents of structural failures across the country.
The expanded Task Team includes representatives from major professional bodies and regulatory agencies in the built environment, alongside technical staff from the ministry. These bodies are:
Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON)
Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN)
Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria (QSRBN)
Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria (TOPREC)
Surveyors Council of Nigeria (SURCON)
Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON)
Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON)
Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG).
In his remarks, Dangiwa condemned the frequency of building collapse in the country, calling it “unacceptable and a national embarrassment.”
“These avoidable tragedies have led to the painful loss of innocent lives, permanent disability for survivors, destruction of property, and irreparable psychological trauma for families,” he said.
The Minister recalled that last year, a Committee on Building Collapse was constituted to investigate root causes and recommend sustainable solutions. Led by Arch. Maji Liberty Alkali, the committee submitted 18 key recommendations.
To ensure wider implementation, Dangiwa explained that he had directed the expansion of the committee to include critical regulatory and professional bodies. He emphasized that solving the problem of building collapse is a multidisciplinary challenge.
“This issue is not the responsibility of any one profession—it involves architecture, engineering, surveying, town planning, and more,” he noted.
Stressing the need for a unified, professional response, the Minister said:
“Architects must ensure that designs meet safety standards. Engineers must guarantee that structural calculations are sound. Quantity surveyors must confirm that costs and material specifications align. Builders must execute construction with integrity.”
The expanded committee’s Terms of Reference include:
Reviewing and advising on the phased implementation of the 18 recommendations.
Developing a roadmap to address systemic, technical, legal, and institutional issues related to building collapse.
Proposing national legislation to improve federal oversight of construction activities.
Designing a compliance framework and checklist to guide professional and regulatory bodies in enforcing standards, ethics, and accountability.
Dangiwa assured the committee of the Ministry’s full support:
“I have directed the Permanent Secretary to provide all necessary resources and coordination mechanisms to help you succeed,” he said.
He also pledged to work with federal and sub-national governments to implement the committee’s recommendations and integrate key findings into national housing and urban development policies.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, appreciated the committee members for accepting the call to serve. He noted the significance of their collective expertise and urged them to “emerge with a clear roadmap for strengthening structural integrity, enforcement, professional ethics, and accountability.”
While speaking, the Committee Chairman Arc. Umaru Usman Karaye (ARCON) expressed gratitude for the opportunity and reiterated the committee’s commitment to urgently addressing the challenge of building collapse.
He also acknowledged the Minister, Minister of State, and Permanent Secretary, as well as the various regulatory bodies for their collaboration and pledged close cooperation with the ministry to drive meaningful change.
Olusola Akintonde