Monday, October 13, 2025 - Structural engineers, under the aegis of the Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers (NIStructE), have urged the government to implement laws and building codes that will stem building failures in the country.
Addressing reporters at a virtual media briefing on the institution’s 38th annual general meeting (AGM) and conference, tagged: “Lagos2025” scheduled for October 14 and 15 in Lagos with the theme: Strengthening and Advancing Structural Engineering Practice in Nigeria, NIStructE President Johnson Adegboyega Adeyoye said authorities concerned must take action against the menace.
Adesoye, who spoke along with his executives, expressed concern over the rising number of structural collapses and called for political will to ensure that only the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) and NIStructE certified engineers are involved in structural construction.
He explained that while not all COREN-registered civil engineers are structural engineers, all structural engineers are civil engineers.
Adeyoye said none of the NIStructE-certified engineers has been linked to any building collapses in Nigeria due to the stringent certification and accreditation processes of the institution.
The NIStructE president listed the major causes of structural failures of buildings in Nigeria to include government officials’ lax enforcement of building codes, the absence of certified and accredited NIStructE members, poor designs, unethical practices, lack of geotechnical soil investigations, and the use of substandard building materials.
He emphasized the need for the country to strengthen structural engineering practice, saying weak structures endanger lives, while professional engineering saves lives.
Adeyoye urged Standards Organisation of Nigeria to ensure that only standard materials are available in the markets.
Adeyoye noted that SON has been inactive while the market remained flooded with substandard materials.
Deputy President, Dr. Taiwo Elegba, urged citizen participation in preventing building collapses by acting as whistleblowers.
He noted that the upcoming conference, to be attended by prominent Nigerians, including the presidents of the Nigerian Society of Nigeria (NSE), Mrs. Margaret Aina Oguntala, and COREN’s president, Prof. Sadiq Zubair Abubakar, will strengthen the practice and introduce new trends to members.
Elegba added that the evolving nature of structural engineering and the importance of professionals make it imperative for both sides to work together to combat building collapses
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