“Abiola Aderibigbe: The British-Nigerian Lawyer Leading the Call for a Nigerian Construction Act to End Building Collapses”
Each year, the headlines blur into a tragic pattern: another building collapse in Nigeria, more lives lost, and promises that it will never happen again. When flames swept through Afriland Towers on Lagos Island this September, the familiar questions resurfaced: Why do these disasters keep happening? And what can stop them?
One British-Nigerian lawyer believes the answer lies in legislation. Abiola Aderibigbe, a dual-qualified solicitor in England & Wales and Ireland, has become one of the clearest voices pressing for a Nigerian Construction Act — a unified law to set safety standards, strengthen accountability, and restore trust in Nigeria’s built environment.
Who Is Abiola Aderibigbe?
Born in Lagos to Kehinde Aderibigbe, a chartered accountant with the Lagos Internal Revenue Service, and Olubunmi Aderibigbe (née Soyannwo), a chartered insurer, Abiola grew up surrounded by professionalism and public duty.
After attending Grace Children’s School and International School, University of Lagos, he moved to the UK, completing his law degree at the University of Surrey, legal training at the University of Law Guildford, and an MSc in Corporate Finance at the University of Westminster. Today, he is pursuing a PhD at Liverpool John Moores University, with research ties to Cambridge’s Faculty of Law.
Operating between Nigeria and the UK, Aderibigbe lectures on construction law, advises globally, and advocates reform at home.
Lessons from the Afriland Towers Fire and Collapses in Lagos
The Afriland Towers fire in Lagos is only the latest in a tragic series. Just days before, a building collapse in Yaba claimed more lives. Since 1974, Nigeria has suffered more than 650 building collapses and 1,600 deaths, according to the Building Collapse Prevention Guild.
Despite the National Building Code, enforcement remains patchy, with overlapping agencies, unclear responsibilities, and widespread loopholes. The result: tragedies in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and beyond.
The Five Pillars of the Proposed Nigerian Construction Act
Aderibigbe’s proposed Construction Act for Nigeria rests on five core pillars:
- National Contractor Registration & Grading – ensuring only qualified contractors handle major projects.
- Health, Safety & Environmental Standards with Real Penalties – enforceable, not advisory.
- Governance & Anti-Corruption Safeguards – transparent procurement and approvals.
- Statutory Payment Timelines & Adjudication – ending delays and corner-cutting.
- Skills Transfer & Local Content – empowering Nigerian professionals and firms.
“These are not just technical tweaks,” he argues. “They are the backbone of safer, fairer, more investible construction in Nigeria.”
From Lagos Building Code to National Reform
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has called for a Lagos Building Code to curb collapse rates, and Lagos is already domesticating the National Building Code. While supportive, Aderibigbe insists piecemeal, state-by-state reform won’t suffice. What Nigeria needs, he says, is a single nationwide Construction Act — one framework binding all 36 states.
Global Models for Nigeria’s Construction Law
Countries such as the UK, Singapore, and Australia have shown how unified legislation in construction improves safety, reduces accidents, and boosts investor trust. With Nigeria’s infrastructure financing gap estimated at $100 billion annually, investors and donors also need predictability.
“Every collapse is preventable,” Aderibigbe says. “This is not just about compliance. It is about human lives, dignity, and trust.”
The Road Ahead
With family ties to Lagos public service — his late uncle Gboyega Soyannwo served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Sanwo-Olu until 2024 — Aderibigbe sees this advocacy as continuity of duty.
Whether lawmakers act on his blueprint remains to be seen. But in the wake of Afriland Towers fire and countless other tragedies, Abiola Aderibigbe stands as the British-Nigerian lawyer determined to turn building safety from a recurring disaster into enforceable law.
