WHY BUILDINGS COLLAPSE IN NIGERIA

 Building or housing is the most fundamental need for humankind. Building means a construction that has the objective of providing sheltering cover and minimizing emissions of noise, particulate matter, odour and litter.

Building a structure is a complex and multifaceted process involving many professions and trades. From planning and design to construction and project management, each stage requires specific skills and expertise to ensure the building is safe, functional, and aesthetically pleasing. Land surveyors, architects, civil engineers, bricklayers and masons, welders and metal fabricators, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, painters, etc., are all involved in building. Some buildings would even require project managers, structural engineers, mechanical engineers, and electrical engineers..

Several factors contribute to making a building strong, stable and safe: Foundation, structural design, materials, construction quality, load-bearing walls and columns, reinforcement, electrical and plumbing safety, maintenance, compliance with building codes and regulations, etc. By taking these factors into account during the design, construction, and maintenance phases, a building can be made resilient, stable, and safe for its occupants. Other things as high quality materials, weather-resistant design, regular maintenance, resilience to environmental factors, impact resilience, compliance with standards will ensure durability.  

Adhering to building codes and standards is critical to creating buildings that are safe, structurally sound, and able to withstand environmental factors and potential hazards. The history of collapsed buildings in Nigeria started in 1974 and increased as the years went by. There were over 112 incidents of building collapse in Lagos alone between December 1978 and April 2008. In the year 2006, there was a building collapse in Surulere, Lagos which claimed 28 lives and left 50 others severely injured. There were other buildings collapse in other parts of the country as Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Akure, etc. but Lagos usually had more devastating cases. On December 10, 2016, a church collapsed in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, killing over 200 people. In November 1, 2021, a 21-storey building in Ikoyi collapsed leaving survivors trapped in the rubble.

Experts have always attributed the causes of incessant collapse to substandard materials, pilfering, non-adherence to designs, lack of comprehensive subsoil investigation before designs are done, illegal conversion or alteration to existing structures, and use of quacks or unskilled builders.

Obiotika Wilfred Toochukwu,

Awgbu