Building Collapse in Nigeria during recent years – Causes, effects and way forward

Building collapse in Nigeria in the last few decades is a growing concern for investors and the government alike. Many of the documented cases of building collapse in Nigeria are due to the use of defective or substandard building materials, no requisite technical knowledge, non-adherence to building codes and standards, the use of non-professionals and the high level of corruption which has ravaged every sphere of the construction industry including government and private parastatals. In addition to the established causes of the collapse of structures, empirical data from developed countries of the world has shown that many of the recorded cases in this climes are due to the fact that the current codes of practice do not make provisions for unexpected loads and an unexpected failure of a single member may lead to an all-round collapse of the entire structure. This study critically highlights the collapse cases of buildings in Nigeria and provides recommendations to halt this growing concern. It seeks to shed further light on these causes and the likelihood for the continued collapse of buildings in Nigeria if measures are not urgently and strategically put in place by all concerned stakeholders. It also seeks to reduce the impact of man-made phenomena on buildings through awareness and policy formulation by the government.