Experts Sound Alarm Over Rising Building Collapses in Lagos, Demand Sweeping Reforms

Industry leaders, urban planners, academics, and real estate stakeholders have raised a collective alarm over the growing crisis of building collapses in Lagos, calling for urgent reforms to rescue the construction sector from negligence, weak oversight, and unethical practices.

The call to action came during the high-level Professor Leke Oduwaye–Adron Homes Urban Development Dialogue, held at the University of Lagos and jointly organised by the Department of Urban and Regional Planning (DURP), UNILAG, and Adron Homes. Themed “Recurring Building Collapse in Lagos: The Challenge of Regulatory Oversight and Construction Practices”, the forum gathered top voices from across Nigeria’s built environment to confront the persistent failures threatening public safety.

Delivering a passionate goodwill address, Sir Aare Adetola EmmanuelKing, KOF**, Group Chairman of Adron Group, condemned the repeated tragedies as completely avoidable.

“Buildings do not collapse by accident. They collapse because somewhere along the chain of planning, approval, construction, or supervision, individuals choose to compromise,” he declared.

Describing each collapse as “a tragedy that has become far too familiar,” EmmanuelKing said the root causes lie in a dangerous mix of greed, professional misconduct, and weak institutional control. He prescribed what he termed the “Three Commandments” for saving the industry—Verification, Validation, and Control—noting that adherence to these principles by all stakeholders was crucial to restoring integrity to the sector.

The keynote lecture was delivered by Tpl. (Dr.) Idris Salako, FNITP, former Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, who presented a detailed exposé on systemic flaws enabling building failures. He highlighted several key issues including:

• Poor enforcement of development control regulations
• Frequent disregard for approved building plans
• Overlapping roles among regulatory agencies
• Political interference and entrenched corruption
  -Rampant use of unqualified personnel and quack developers

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Dr. Salako recommended urgent steps such as capacity-building for regulators, certification of artisans, and the full digitalisation of the building approval process as pathways to reform. He stressed:

“Without transparency and competent oversight, we will continue to lose lives and property in a city that is supposed to be Africa’s model megacity.”

In their respective keynote addresses, Tpl. Tunji Odunlami FNITP, Ogun State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, and Professor Ayo Omotayo, Director General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, advocated for integrated urban planning strategies, consistent political will, and strengthened collaboration among government agencies, industry professionals, and the private sector.

Other notable attendees included Tpl. Waheed Kadiri, FNITP, Past President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (who chaired the event); Professor Modupe Omirin, Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences, UNILAG; Dr. Taofik Salau, Head of DURP, UNILAG; and Dr. S.A. Adeyemi, Chairman of the Organising Committee.

Throughout the dialogue, a consensus emerged: Nigeria must act now to arrest the scourge of building collapse. Participants emphasized that only through stronger regulation, ethical professionalism, and political accountability can Lagos evolve into a safer, more resilient city.

The dialogue, which honoured the legacy of the late Professor Leke Oduwaye, a renowned urban planner and advocate for responsible city building, is expected to spark policy reviews and renewed commitment to transforming Nigeria’s urban development trajectory.