Substandard materials responsible for building collapse in Nigeria – Prof Duna

By Abubakar Yunusa

The Director-General of the Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI), Engr. Prof. Samson Duna, has attributed building collapses in Nigeria to substandard materials used in construction.

Prof. Duna, speaking as a keynote speaker at a one-day stakeholders workshop on quality assurance of construction materials in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja yesterday, stated that investigations have shown substandard materials to be the primary cause of building collapse.

“There are other factors, but the most important is the use of substandard materials by practitioners in the built environment,” Professor Duna said

Speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the workshop, NSE President, Engr. Margaret Aina Oguntola, said, “We are the technical drivers for promoting safety, durability, and efficiency in the engineering world.”

Represented by Engr. Ali Rabiu, Engr. Margaret boasted that they are the best professionals to lead the debate on quality assurance materials, which is the focus of the workshop.

Addressing maintenance, she explained that it is a policy issue that should be handled by the government.

While acknowledging the efforts of professional engineering organizations to advise the government on infrastructure construction and maintenance, she emphasized the need for dedicated annual budgets for infrastructure maintenance.

“Whenever buildings collapse, investigations should focus on the quality of materials used, as this also affects the cost of living. People have to shelter themselves and clothe themselves – these are necessities of life, which is why people resort to cutting corners,” she said.

“Government should make life easier for people by creating opportunities for them to afford basic amenities and building materials,” she advised.
Speaking on the importance of the workshop, the Chairman of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) Abuja branch, Engr. Ben Osy Okoh, said, “Inadequate quality control not only leads to structural failures but also endangers lives, erodes public trust, and results in significant economic losses.”
According to him, quality construction materials are the foundation of a sustainable and safe built environment. They determine the durability, safety, and resilience of buildings and infrastructure.
“Today’s workshop aims to address these issues by fostering an environment of learning, collaboration, and proactive measures. We are here to share our knowledge, experiences, and best practices to prioritize safety and quality,” he added.