Afriland Fire Rekindles Call for a Nigerian Construction Act — Aderibigbe

The Afriland Towers fire on Lagos Island, which claimed lives and left scores injured, has reignited urgent debate over Nigeria’s fragile building safety regime.

Abiola Aderibigbe, legal practitioner and PhD candidate with expertise in the built environment, has renewed his call for a comprehensive Nigerian Construction Act, warning that “it is not enough to mourn — we must act.”

Despite the existence of the National Building Code, enforcement remains patchy. Regulatory overlaps, unclear mandates, and weak accountability leave even flagship structures vulnerable. Just days before the fire, a building collapse in Yaba added to a grim toll: over 650 collapses and 1,600 deaths since 1974, according to the Building Collapse Prevention Guild.

With the construction sector contributing 4.74% of Nigeria’s GDP in Q1 2025, Aderibigbe argues that these failures are not only social and moral catastrophes but also economic liabilities.

He outlined five pillars for the proposed Construction Act:

1. National Contractor Registration & Grading – only qualified contractors for critical projects.
2. Health, Safety & Environmental Standards with Penalties – binding laws, not guidelines.
3. Governance & Anti-corruption Safeguards – transparent approvals and inspections.
4. Statutory Payment Timelines & Adjudication – to curb financial bottlenecks.
5. Skills Transfer & Local Content – building Nigerian capacity and accountability.

Citing examples from the UK, Australia, and Singapore, he noted that unified construction laws abroad have boosted safety, reduced accidents, and strengthened investor confidence.

Nigeria faces an infrastructure financing gap of over US$100 billion annually, with investors demanding legal certainty. Aderibigbe warns that each failure — from Afriland to Yaba — not only costs lives but also erodes trust and capital.

“Every avoidable fire, collapse, or disaster calls for more than words,” he said. “It demands legislation, accountability, and action.”

The call now rests with government officials, legislators, and stakeholders to deliver a clear, enforceable, and penalty-backed Construction Act — one that could protect lives, restore investor trust, and strengthen resilience.