Nigeria Establishes National Building Code Advisory Committee to Tackle Collapse of Buildings

Strategic Insights -

The Nigerian government has taken steps to mitigate the frequent collapse of buildings in the country by setting up a panel to design a new national building code that will be enforceable. The National Building Code Advisory Committee (NBCAC) was inaugurated in Abuja, with the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Musa Dangiwa, emphasizing the importance of the code in ensuring safety, durability, and sustainability in Nigerian buildings. The committee's primary goal is to set minimum standards for design, construction, and maintenance of buildings across the country, safeguarding lives and property while fostering investor confidence and enhancing the global competitiveness of Nigeria's built environment.

Key Takeaways:

  • The National Building Code Advisory Committee (NBCAC) is tasked with designing a new national building code that will be enforceable, aiming to reduce the frequent collapse of buildings in Nigeria.
  • The committee will set minimum standards for design, construction, and maintenance of buildings across the country, ensuring safety, durability, and sustainability.
  • The building code has been in the works for several decades, with the first attempt initiated in 1987 by the defunct National Council of Works and Housing, and a draft presented in 2005, leading to its official signing into law in 2006.
  • The first National Building Code Advisory Committee was inaugurated in 2018, but it was not reconstituted after its expiry three years later.
  • The new committee, reconstituted in 2023, will meet twice a year to achieve its objectives and ensure the effective implementation of the national building code.
  • The code aims to address existing conditions in Nigeria's cities and environment, including the absence of planning, incessant building collapse, and the use of non-professionals and quacks.
  • The chairman of the committee, Mohammed Jimoh Faworaja, has promised to abide by the objectives of the federal government, including meeting regularly and ensuring the success of the committee's tasks.

Statistics:

  • The National Building Code has been in development for over 35 years, with the first attempt initiated in 1987.
  • The draft National Building Code was re-presented in 2005 after years of consultations.
  • The first official National Building Code was signed into law in 2006 by President Olusegun Obasanjo.
  • The first National Building Code Advisory Committee was inaugurated in 2018 and was not reconstituted after its expiry three years later.
  • The new National Building Code Advisory Committee is expected to meet twice a year to achieve its objectives.

Sources:

  • (Inauguration of the National Building Code Advisory Committee by Minister Musa Dangiwa)
  • (Remarks by Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Dr Shuaibu Belgore)
  • (Appointment of Mohammed Jimoh Faworaja as Chairman of the National Building Code Advisory Committee)