In 2023 alone, building collapses in Lagos, Nigeria’s bustling megacity, have occurred on an alarming bi-weekly basis. The tragic incidents not only incur significant financial losses but also result in the irreplaceable loss of lives beneath the debris.
The persistent nature of these collapses highlights severe governance failures, compounded by allegations of cost-cutting measures taken by contractors. Despite the existence of regulatory frameworks, maintenance schedules, and inspections, the enforcement of these measures remains effectively non-functional.
Those accountable for these tragedies are rarely held responsible, perpetuating a cycle of negligence and impunity. Lagos has been labelled the “building-collapse capital of Nigeria” by experts, with over 90 structures collapsing in the past 12 years, claiming more than 350 lives, as reported by the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria.
A particularly notorious incident occurred in Ikoyi in 2021 when a 21-storey luxury apartment building under construction collapsed, resulting in the deaths of 42 individuals. Eyewitnesses recall the horrifying sound of the collapse and frantically rushed to assist those trapped within the ruins, with many community members mourning familiar faces lost that day.
Local vendors who interacted with construction workers just prior to the collapses often engage in conversations about the events and their potential causes. Today, metal sheeting surrounds these dangerous sites, concealing the destruction within but revealing piles of rubble through the gates.
Access to the sites remains heavily restricted, and official investigations into recent collapses stagnate, with findings reportedly sitting with the state governor since their receipt in 2022. Recommendations by expert panels have yet to be disclosed, despite repeated requests for transparency.
In 2022, a coroner’s ruling highlighted the catastrophic consequences of governmental negligence, attributing numerous collapses to failures in oversight by relevant agencies tasked with construction approval and supervision.
The population of Lagos has surged to over 20 million, intensifying the demand for housing and commercial real estate amid rampant construction activities. However, inadequacies in regulatory processes have allowed for frequent violations of construction standards, leading to the utilization of subpar materials and untrained labor.
Within the Lagos State Building Control Agency, there appears to be a calm amidst the chaos of public outcry. Despite acknowledging criticism, a spokesperson for the agency attributes systemic failures to resource shortages rather than corruption, revealing that current staffing levels are inadequate for the scale of the city’s construction activities.
Experts in the field urge that the city needs significantly more inspectors to ensure compliance with safety standards, arguing that the exceedingly low number of 300 inspectors is woefully insufficient for a city marked by continuous urban development.
In the absence of sufficient oversight, unscrupulous companies often evade accountability, operating with little regard for regulatory requirements. Laborers voice their experiences, revealing a lack of training and safety protocols on construction sites, a fact that contributes to the growing rate of building collapses.
Although some violations may be recognized post-collapse, accountability remains elusive, with no criminal prosecutions recorded for previous incidents.
Political influence and connections often obstruct efforts to pursue justice in these cases. Insider accounts reveal that powerful individuals linked to failed projects can navigate legal repercussions with ease.
With 19 building collapses already reported by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency in 2023, this year is on track to witness the highest incidence of such incidents in a decade. Nonetheless, the lessons are at risk of remaining unlearned. Industry leaders warn of the country’s lack of capacity in conducting thorough investigations into construction safety failures.
As the situation unfolds, the lives of construction workers and affected families continue to hang in the balance, underscoring an urgent need for systemic reform within Lagos’s construction industry.
