Legal Expert Urges Enactment of Nigerian Construction Act…As Report Links 1,600 Deaths to 650 Building Collapses
Nigeria has recorded over 650 building collapses since 1974, claiming at least 1,616 lives, according to the Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG). In response to this alarming trend, legal expert Abiola Aderibigbe has called for the urgent enactment of a Nigerian Construction Act to unify regulations, strengthen safety, and boost investor confidence in the sector.
Aderibigbe — a global legal practitioner, corporate executive, and PhD candidate specialising in construction, energy, infrastructure, and engineering law — described Nigeria’s current regulatory framework as “complex, overlapping, and in need of harmonisation.”
“Nigeria has an opportunity to move beyond dispersed laws, stalled projects, and preventable building collapses,” he said. “The construction sector is simply too important — for jobs, housing, infrastructure, and national development — not to be supported by a coherent and consistently applied legal framework.”
A GROWING SECTOR, A MOUNTING CHALLENGE
The construction sector contributed 4.74% to Nigeria’s GDP in Q1 2025 (NBS), making it one of the country’s fastest-growing non-oil industries. Yet challenges around safety, governance, and efficiency persist. While frameworks such as the National Building Code and the Public Procurement Act exist, enforcement has been inconsistent, leaving dangerous gaps that put lives and investments at risk.
LESSONS FROM GLOBAL REFORMS
Drawing on reforms in the UK, Singapore, and Australia, Aderibigbe highlighted how Construction Acts and Security of Payment laws abroad have improved payment timelines, strengthened safety, and streamlined dispute resolution.
“Nigeria has the same opportunity to benefit from such reforms,” he argued. “Unified legislation can transform safety, compliance, and investor confidence.”
THE FIVE-PILLAR SOLUTION
In a policy brief, Aderibigbe outlined a blueprint for a Nigerian Construction Act built on five pillars:
- Statutory payment timelines and adjudication to reduce disputes.
- National contractor registration and grading to ensure capacity-driven procurement.
- Health, safety, and environmental standards with enforceable penalties.
- Skills transfer and local content to strengthen domestic workforce capacity.
- Governance and anti-corruption safeguards to build transparency and investor trust.
INFRASTRUCTURE GAP & INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY
Nigeria faces an annual infrastructure financing gap of over US$100 billion (World Bank, AfDB). According to Aderibigbe, a predictable and harmonised legal framework would not only save lives but also attract capital.
“Investors and development finance institutions want predictability,” he said. “A Construction Act would strengthen project bankability and reduce risks, helping Nigeria mobilise the billions it needs for roads, power, and housing.”
CALL TO ACTION
With over 650 collapses and 1,600 deaths recorded, Aderibigbe stressed that reform is long overdue:
“This is not just about technical reform. It’s about saving lives, creating jobs, and restoring trust in Nigeria’s built environment. The time to act is now.”
