By Adepote Arowojobe

The Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG) has called for stricter regulatory measures following the collapse of 659 buildings nationwide, which has resulted in the deaths of 1,621 people.

A former President of the BCPG, Mr Kunle Awobodu, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) during an inspection of a collapsed three-storey building on Awolowo Way, Ota-Ona area of Ikorodu, Lagos State.

A couple reportedly lost two of their three children in the incident, and another relative which occurred on May 27.

NAN reports that BCPG is made up of professionals from seven key disciplines.

They include the built environment sector, including engineers, builders, surveyors, architects, quantity surveyors, town planners, and estate surveyors and valuers

Awobodu said the figures of deaths from building collapse represented reported incidences of collapses between October 1974 and June, 2025.

Awobodu advised regulatory agencies to respond promptly to alerts from members, artisans, and other professionals in the built environment, in order to address irregularities that could lead to building collapse.

“It is sad that in a nation we have had about 1,621 deaths from 659 collapsed building incidences, according to BCPG record.

“The collapsed building in Ikorodu on Awolowo Way is the number 645, according to record.

“Lagos accounts for 55.1 per cent of total collapsed buildings in Nigeria which makes it the epicentre of building collapse all over the world,” he said.

According to him, there is a need for the government to intensify enforcement efforts, and he urged members not to be discouraged, in spite of often providing valuable information that is not taken seriously.

Also speaking, Mr Joseph Akande, Chairman of the BCPG Lagos State Chapter, advised developers to always process building plans and obtain statutory documents, which serve as authorisation to commence construction.

Akande appealed to developers not to embark on construction without following the statutory procedures to avoid collapse of buildings to save lives and properties.

“There is a need for more enforcement from government agencies saddled with regulation and permission of building construction,” he said.

Mr Kazeem Isiaka, Coordinator of the BCPG Ikorodu Cell, appealed to the Lagos State Government to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the root cause of the building collapse in Ikorodu before taking steps to confiscate the site.

He added that the BCPG would visit the bereaved families as part of its humanitarian service.

In her reaction, Mrs Faith Ezeugoh, Treasurer BCPG, Lagos Chapter, also appealed to contractors to shun quacks and always be willing to pay experts the right prices for building construction supervision.

Ezeugoh, a past coordinator of BCPG, Ikorodu Chapter appealed to developers to properly do value project before embarking on construction to be able to engage experts and use quality building materials.

Also, Mrs Olayinka Momoh of the Lagos State Council of Tradesmen and Artisans urged the guild to bridge the skill gap in tiles laying field.

Momoh stressed the need to always ascertain the capacity and competence of artisans hired to work on construction sites for compliance to quality and standard.

She urged government to continue to train the artisans and enhance their capacity to curtail building collapse in the nation. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa