Lagos Faces Crisis As 19 Building Collapses Plague City
Lagos Struggles with Faulty Regulations and Lack of Accountability With 19 Collapses This Year
In Nigeria’s bustling megacity of Lagos, building collapses are becoming alarmingly frequent, with an average of one incident every two weeks this year. The tragic loss of lives is incalculable, overshadowing the commercial costs of these disasters.
Systematic Failures and Accountability Issues
The persistent collapse of buildings in Lagos reflects a broader failure of governance and regulatory oversight. Despite existing regulations and maintenance schedules, enforcement remains weak. Those responsible for these failures are rarely held accountable, perpetuating a cycle of neglect and tragedy.
A City of Collapses
Dubbed “the building-collapse capital of Nigeria,” Lagos has witnessed at least 90 building failures over the past 12 years, resulting in more than 350 deaths, according to the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria. One of the most devastating incidents occurred in 2021, when a 21-story luxury apartment block under construction in Ikoyi collapsed, killing 42 people.
Investigation Stalled and Transparency Lacking
The investigation into the Ikoyi collapse remains stalled. While a report with recommendations was completed in 2022, Lagos state authorities have yet to release it to the public. The coroner’s judgment attributed the disaster to government negligence, highlighting the failings of agencies responsible for construction oversight.
Growth Outstripping Oversight
As Lagos’s population surges beyond 20 million, the demand for housing and commercial property continues to grow. However, the city’s regulatory bodies, including the Physical Planning Permit Agency and the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), are struggling to keep pace. Limited resources and insufficient inspectors exacerbate the issue, allowing violations and substandard practices to go unchecked.
Challenges in Regulation and Enforcement
LASBCA’s spokesperson, Olusegun Olaoye, acknowledges the criticism but attributes the problems to a lack of resources rather than corruption. Experts suggest that Lagos needs thousands of inspectors, far more than the current 300, to effectively manage the city’s construction boom.
Corruption and Political Influence
Allegations of political influence also hinder accountability. Some suggest that connections to powerful figures allow perpetrators of building collapses to evade justice. As high-profile cases remain unresolved, concerns about systemic corruption persist.
A Dire Future
With 19 building collapses already recorded this year, Lagos is on track for the highest number of incidents in the past decade. The Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria admits a lack of resources and expertise to properly address the issue, leaving construction workers and residents vulnerable as the crisis continues.
