The Tragic Pattern of Building Collapses in Nigeria
At 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, the scene at No. 43/45, Coates Street in Oyingbo, Ebute-Metta, Lagos was one of grim determination. Excavators stood ready to continue searching for survivors or more bodies in the latest building collapse to strike Nigeria. This incident represents another tragic chapter in what has become an alarming pattern of structural failures across the country.
Historical Warnings and Repeated Tragedies
The Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG) has been sounding alarms about Nigeria's construction crisis for years. Each new collapse deepens the tragedy that advocates have warned against repeatedly. The danger extends beyond building occupants to include visitors and even passers-by, making this a public safety emergency affecting everyone.
Ebute-Metta in Lagos Mainland Local Government has long been identified as a hotspot for substandard construction by various developers. In response, the Lagos State Government deployed the Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory to conduct non-destructive tests on suspected weak buildings. Structures identified as distressed were marked with conspicuous red paint and scheduled for demolition by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LABSCA).
From Royal Palaces to Police Barracks: The Scope of the Problem
The crisis spans all sectors of society. On November 10, 2015, a large delegation from BCPG visited the palace of Oba of Lagos, HRM Riliwan Akiolu. They presented the challenges posed by developers and building collapse issues to the traditional ruler and his chiefs. During this meeting, participants praised the Brazilian emancipados for constructing buildings that stood the test of time, such as Mr. Candido Da Rocha's two-storey Water House on Kakawa Street, which has remained firm since 1875.
In stark contrast, buildings developed under build-operate-transfer models often become distressed before their 20 to 30-year agreements expire. The traditional chiefs were urged to caution families about carefully examining developers' capacity before handing over family land for redevelopment into multi-storey buildings.
The problem even extends to police facilities. The collapse of a three-storey building within Police Barracks at Pedro in Shomolu, Lagos on June 30, 2014, prompted concern. After an assessment by BCPG Shomolu Cell Coordinator Surv. Mrs. Yemi Ajidahun, the organization visited Lagos State Commissioner of Police Cornelius Kayode Aderanti on January 16, 2015. They recommended structural integrity tests for all buildings in police barracks, highlighting inadequate maintenance as a critical issue.
The Massey Street Tragedy and Its Painful Lessons
Among the 149 defective buildings identified for demolition across Lagos State, 48 were located on Lagos Island. One was the five-storey building at No. 63, Massey Street, Ita Faaji. Despite visible cracks and spalling concrete, the residential building—partially converted to a school—continued to be used after cosmetic repairs.
At about 10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 13, 2019, disaster struck when the building could no longer sustain its load. The collapse killed over 20 people, mostly pupils, and maimed many others. This tragedy highlighted the deadly consequences of ignoring structural warnings.
As a member of the government panel investigating the Massey Street collapse, Kunle Awobodu questioned why the lessons learned couldn't prevent similar incidents like the one at Coates Street. Survivors' accounts from both locations revealed a disturbing pattern: developers and tenants would appeal and negotiate with government officials to extend or cancel demolition notices while attempting renovations on condemned structures.
The Deadly Cycle of Renovation and Resistance
The common denominator in these incidents is the renovation of confirmed distressed buildings—a practice BCPG has long cautioned against. Cosmetic treatments on structurally deficient buildings are counterproductive and dangerous.
This destructive cycle is driven by two main forces: economic desperation and occupant resistance. Developers tied to build-operate-transfer agreements fear financial losses and seek to extend condemned buildings' lifespans at all costs. Meanwhile, occupants resist relocation due to scarce affordable housing in high-demand urban centers.
These pressures combine with weak enforcement and revenue generation from offense penalties to create discreet compromises with deadly consequences.
Regulatory Framework and the Path Forward
In 2019, the Lagos State House of Assembly under Rt. Hon. Mudushiru Obasa made improvements to the Lagos State Building Control Agency Regulations, which Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu assented to. The regulations now stipulate that site execution of every building under construction shall be managed by a registered builder, while supervision to ensure construction conforms with designs must be carried out by architects and engineers.
Section 13 warns that in case of defects or collapse due to negligence, the builder, engineers, architect, and developer shall be held liable. Poor performance resulting in distressed buildings could lead to withdrawal of practicing licenses and career ruination.
The way forward requires decisive action: expediting building condition surveys with structural appraisals, making non-destructive tests affordable, providing transit camps for occupants of distressed buildings, and demonstrating political will to overcome influence peddling during demolition decisions.
Insurance coverage must be emphasized to compensate collapse victims, and developers should register with the federal government-initiated Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) for proper accreditation. Most importantly, buildings must be constructed correctly from the outset because preventing failure is far easier and cheaper than managing collapse.
When distressed buildings swing between demolition and renovation, regulators must overcome inertia and be decisive. Compliance cannot be negotiable. Building regulations, no matter how well-written, are meaningless unless society respects them. We cannot plaster over structural decay or paint away danger. Until we confront this reality, the ground beneath us will continue to betray Nigerians, with lives lost not to fate but to negligence disguised as renovation.
