Building collapse cases rise to 635 – Report

The Building Collapse Prevention Guild has said that Nigeria witnessed 635 building collapse cases between 1974 and November 5, 2024.

It disclosed this in its latest report, stating that Lagos State had recorded the highest cases with over 351 buildings caving in the last 50 years.

The report showed that the 351 collapsed buildings in Lagos represented 55.28 per cent of the total of 635 recorded cases across the country during this period.

The report stated, “Lagos State accounts for 55.28 per cent of recorded building collapse incidents in Nigeria. Abuja follows in second place with 4.25 per cent, Anambra ranks third with 4.09 per cent, Oyo is fourth, and Kano holds fifth place with 3.46 per cent. Taraba, Bayelsa, Gombe, and Yobe states each recorded their first building collapse incident in 2022. In Zamfara, Taraba, Yobe, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Sokoto, Gombe, Katsina, and Kebbi states, there has been only one recorded building collapse.

“In the years 1971, 1975, and 1981, there were no recorded building collapses. Despite the COVID lockdown, 2020 saw 45 building collapses nationwide, with Lagos accounting for 18, 40 per cent. The year 2022 recorded the highest number of collapses, totaling 62 nationwide, with Lagos responsible for 20 (32 per cent) of them. In 2023, there were 52 recorded collapses across Nigeria, with Lagos contributing 17, 33 per cent.

“As of 2024, 43 building collapses have been recorded nationwide: Lagos has seen 12, Anambra and Abuja 5 each, Kano 4, Jigawa and Plateau 3 each, Osun, Rivers, and Delta 2 each, and Niger, Abia, Edo, Oyo, and Ebonyi 1 each. The first recorded building collapse occurred in October 1974 in Oyo State, when a multi-storey building collapsed due to excessive loading, resulting in 27 fatalities. The tallest building collapse took place in Lagos on 1st November 2021, tragically killing 52 people.”

The PUNCH earlier reported that Nigeria witnessed 1,574 deaths in 627 reported incidents of building collapse between 1974 and 2024.

The guild said in a release that the first recorded building collapse in Nigeria occurred in October 1974 in Oyo State, where a multi-story building collapsed due to excessive loading, killing 27 people.

It stated, “The Building Collapse Prevention Guild has reported from its record, from October 1, 1974, to September 17, 2024, 1,574 deaths occurred in 627 reported incidents of building collapse in Nigeria.

“The first recorded building collapse in Nigeria occurred in October 1974 in Oyo State, involving a multi-story building that collapsed due to excessive loading, resulting in the death of 27 people.

“The latest building collapse, in BCPG record, happened in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, where a residential building collapsed in the early hours of Monday, September 16, 2024, during a heavy downpour, and four persons were injured.”