Darma Moves to Regulate Built Environment, Targets Building Collapse, Quackery

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

The Federal Government has intensified efforts to reform Nigeria’s built environment, with the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Engr. Muttaqha Rabe Darma, declaring that a comprehensive regulatory framework for the sector will soon be presented to stakeholders as part of measures to curb building collapse, eliminate quackery and improve construction standards nationwide.

Speaking on Monday in Abuja while receiving the President of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Engr. Prof. Sadiq Zubair Abubakar, and members of the council on a courtesy visit, Darma said regulating the built environment remains one of the key priorities of his administration.

According to the Minister, a well-regulated industry will not only improve safety and professionalism but also unlock the sector’s enormous potential to contribute more significantly to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“Before I leave this office, we must regulate the industry. It is one of the landmark achievements that I have set my mind on accomplishing,” he declared.

Darma disclosed that the Ministry will later this month present a draft policy framework on the regulation of the built environment to stakeholders for consultation before forwarding it to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval.

He explained that the proposed framework is designed to address persistent challenges, including recurring building collapse, the activities of unqualified practitioners, poor compliance with building codes and the absence of a coordinated regulatory system for the built environment.

“There must be standards and codes that every professional must comply with. We cannot continue to allow an industry as critical as the built environment to be controlled by quacks,” he said.

The Minister described engineers as indispensable partners in delivering the Federal Government’s housing and infrastructure agenda and urged COREN and other professional bodies to actively contribute to the stakeholder engagement process to ensure the emergence of a robust and effective regulatory framework.

Earlier, President of COREN, Engr. Prof. Sadiq Zubair Abubakar, congratulated Darma on his appointment, describing the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development as one of Nigeria’s foremost engineering-driven ministries.

He expressed confidence that the Minister’s professional background as an engineer would strengthen policy implementation and advance reforms in the built environment sector.

Abubakar said the visit was also to formally invite the Minister to the 34th COREN Engineering Assembly, one of the country’s largest gatherings of engineering professionals, which attracts between 8,000 and 9,000 participants annually, including engineers, technologists, technicians, craftsmen and artisans.

He disclosed that this year’s Assembly will be held in both physical and virtual formats to enable participation by professionals across Nigeria and the diaspora.

The COREN President noted that the Minister of Housing and Urban Development traditionally serves as co-pilot of the Engineering Assembly alongside the Minister of Works, who will also represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the event.

According to him, the 2026 Assembly will focus on strengthening public safety through effective engineering regulation, compliance and enforcement.

He added that COREN is proposing the adoption of a tiered sanctioning regime that differentiates between preventive measures, disciplinary actions and prosecution based on the severity of offences, in line with international best practices for engineering regulation.