Sanwo-Olu: Safety Standards Must Be Met in Project Supervision

By Maro Samuel

Governor Sanwo-Olu, of Lagos state has declared that safety standard must be met in project supervision. To this end the governor has warned that no one should endorse or supervise a project that does not meet safety standards, and institutions must also be bold enough to sanction erring members.

Sanwo-Olu

Cablenews24 reports that governor Sanwo-Olu handed down this warning while speaking at a One-Day Sensitisation Programme on Incessant Building Collapse in Nigeria and the launch of the Lagos Certified Structural Integrity Programme (CSIP), organised by the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development on Wednesday in Lagos.

Sanwo-Olu also called for the urgent establishment of a National Building Tribunal to fast-track the prosecution of offenders in cases of structural failure, warning that professional negligence in the built environment amounts to “a form of social violence.”

Sanwo-Olu

The governor said the time had come to move from reactive responses to proactive strategies in addressing the persistent tragedy of building collapse across the country.

“The establishment of a National Building Tribunal will ensure swift justice, deter malpractice, and restore public confidence in our building sector,” Sanwo-Olu declared.

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“Professional negligence is not just an error; it is a form of social violence. No one should endorse or supervise a project that does not meet safety standards, and institutions must also be bold enough to sanction erring members,” he added.

Recalled that there have been alarming statistics from the Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG), which recorded more than 180 incidents of building collapse in Nigeria between 2005 and 2022, with Lagos accounting for over 60 percent.

“The losses are not only economic, lives have been lost, dreams shattered, and communities traumatized,” Sanwo-Olu stated.

Sanwo-Olu listed the root causes of the problem, including the use of substandard materials, engagement of unqualified professionals, non-adherence to approved building plans, corruption in the permit process, poor supervision, and lack of a maintenance culture.

While outlining measures already implemented in Lagos, such as the review of building codes, compulsory structural integrity testing, building insurance policies, demolition of unsafe structures, and the Certified Accreditors’ Programme, the governor said the responsibility for safety must be shared.

“Government action alone is not enough. Safety is a collective responsibility. Enforcement must be consistent, professional bodies must hold their members accountable, and citizens must report suspicious construction activities,” he urged.

Sanwo-Olu also pressed for a uniform national building code, federal support for training inspectors, a national registry of certified professionals, incentives for compliance, periodic structural audits of older buildings, and curriculum reforms in the built environment to align with modern, ethical, and climate-resilient practices.

“Our goal is clear: no more preventable building collapses in Lagos State. The lives we protect are not mere statistics; they are our sons and daughters, breadwinners, students, and elders who deserve dignity and safety in the spaces they occupy. Together, we can build not just higher but safer; not just faster but stronger,” he said.

In the governor’s X Official handle @jidesanwoolu, he said, ” Today, at the National Building Safety and Structural Integrity Initiative (NBSSII) workshop organised by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), we launched the Certified Structural Integrity Programme, which will test every building in Lagos every five years to ensure it is safe. Every building in Lagos should be a place of safety, not a source of danger.

We have made real progress, as this year we recorded the lowest rate of building collapse in two decades, but our work is not done. The causes of building collapses are well known: substandard materials, unqualified workers, illegal construction, and poor supervision. We are enforcing tougher building codes, empowering our agencies, and holding everyone accountable.

But safety is a shared duty and we cannot do it alone. If you see unsafe construction, report it. If you are a professional, never sign off on work that puts lives at risk.

Together, we can make building collapses a thing of the past in Lagos.”

Permanent Secretary, Office of Urban Development, Gbolahan Oki, urged all stakeholders in Nigeria’s built environment to adopt a culture of safety and strict compliance with building codes, warning that government enforcement alone cannot end building collapses.

Oki said the Sanwo-Olu administration is “repositioning our built environment to be the model for measuring excellence across the country” through policy reforms and innovative enforcement tools.

One of such initiatives, he noted, is the Certified Accreditors Programme (CAP), which deploys accredited professionals to monitor projects “from the foundation stage to completion, thereby drastically reducing the risks that lead to building collapse.”

Oki outlined intensified enforcement by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), including identifying and marking illegal structures, monitoring compliance with approvals, and stepping up public sensitisation.

He called for synergy among LASPPPA, LASBCA, the Safety Commission, and the Materials Testing Laboratory in ensuring quality control of construction materials.

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