The Nigerian Institute of Building

Happy Builder's Day, Nigeria!

Today, March 13th, we honour every Builder across Nigeria — the hands that shape our buildings, the minds that turn blueprints into reality, and the professionals who lay the foundation of a stronger nation.

To Nigeria's Builders: your craft is your legacy. May the building profession continue to grow in excellence, recognition, and opportunity.

Build on!

Building Collapse: The Consequence of Poor Project Planning and Feasibility Studies

A building does not suddenly collapse; failure often begins long before construction commences — at the planning stage.

Inadequate feasibility studies frequently overlook critical technical, financial, environmental, and structural considerations. Projects are initiated without a comprehensive understanding of site constraints, soil conditions, regulatory requirements, cost implications, or structural demands.

When planning is incomplete, the result is predictable:

Unrealistic budgets

Compressed construction timelines

Poor coordination among professionals

Compromised quality control

Unsafe construction decisions

Such deficiencies create confusion on site, encourage shortcuts, and ultimately increase the risk of structural distress or total collapse.

The Remedy

To prevent building failures arising from poor preparation:

Engage a Registered Builder to provide professional planning, supervision, and construction management oversight

Conduct detailed and comprehensive feasibility studies before project commencement.

Evaluate technical viability, financial sustainability, environmental impact, and structural requirements.

Develop clear construction methodologies, realistic schedules, and properly costed budgets.

Ensure effective coordination among all construction professionals from inception to completion.

Proper planning is not optional — it is the foundation of structural integrity and public safety.

Engage a Registered Builder. Build Right. Build Safe.

The Builder’s Role: Managing Variations and Controlling Costs

Changes are inevitable in construction, but chaos is not.

A builder evaluates every variation before work proceeds.

Impacts on cost, time, and quality are carefully assessed.

Unnecessary alterations are filtered out professionally.

Clients receive clear advice before financial commitments are made.

Proper documentation prevents future disputes.

Transparent pricing protects the project budget.

Disciplined control keeps the project financially stable.

A registered builder understands contract procedures for variations.

Engaging one prevents waste and safeguards your investment.

Building Collapse Cause: Failure to Conduct Environmental Impact Assessment

Every building stands within an environment that affects its survival.

Ignoring environmental impact assessment invites hidden structural risks.

Flood zones, erosion paths, and unstable terrain may go undetected.

Industrial pollution or aggressive soil chemicals can attack foundations.

Seasonal water flow patterns may gradually undermine structural stability.

Remedy: conduct proper environmental and site impact assessments before design.

Study drainage patterns, soil chemistry, and surrounding land use.

Integrate environmental findings into structural and foundation planning.

Obtain necessary environmental approvals before construction begins.

Engaging a registered builder ensures environmental risks are identified early and prevents collapse caused by poor pre-construction planning.

Bldr. Dr. Margaret Sati Shwarka is a distinguished construction professional with nearly four decades of experience in public sector project delivery, academia, research, and quality assurance within Nigeria’s built environment. She holds a BSc Building (1987), MSc Construction Management (2004), and PhD in Construction Management (2014) from the University of Jos.

She began her career at the Plateau State Ministry of Works & Housing before joining the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), where she contributed to landmark projects including the Shagari Presidential Complex (A*o Rock), Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital, and the Federal Prototype Ministry Building Complex in Abuja.

In 2010, she joined Kaduna Polytechnic as Lecturer I and rose to Chief Lecturer, mentoring numerous students and publishing over 45 peer-reviewed works, alongside co-authoring a textbook on maintenance technology and management.

A certified Quality Assurance Assessor and Internal Quality Assurance Manager (IQAM), she has significantly contributed to skills development initiatives, including N-Power and RPL assessments. She has served on several professional and academic committees under NIOB, CORBON, SON, and ARSO.

In August 2024, she became National Chairperson of the Association of Professional Women Builders of Nigeria (APWBN), championing mentorship, gender inclusion, and professional excellence in construction.

The Builder's Role: Strengthening the City's Image

A Builder, through professional building construction and maintenance practice, shapes the physical identity and environmental character of every city. The skyline, the streetscape, the public spaces, and even residential neighbourhoods all reflect the competence and standards upheld by those entrusted with building delivery.

Well-constructed buildings inspire community pride and public confidence. Quality projects attract investment, stimulate economic growth, and reinforce a city’s reputation as a safe and organized place to live, work, and do business. During construction, the Registered Builder ensures that order, safety, professionalism, and compliance with standards are visibly maintained on site — projecting discipline and technical competence.

Beyond construction, maintenance remains a core statutory responsibility of the Registered Builder. Through preventive, routine, and corrective maintenance, buildings are preserved against deterioration, thereby preventing urban decay, structural failures, and environmental eyesores. Properly maintained buildings enhance safety, functionality, and sustainability of the built environment.

The character of a city is defined by the quality of its structures. Every properly executed project becomes a statement of progress, civilization, and the standard of living of its people. Conversely, poor construction and neglect erode not only structures but also public trust.

A Registered Builder upholds professional ethics, regulatory compliance, quality assurance, and safety standards that protect the city’s liveable environment and long-term reputation. Engaging a Registered Builder is therefore not optional — it is essential to creating a built environment any city can be proud of.
Builders are not just constructors; they are custodians of the city’s image and guardians of its future.

Building Collapse Causes: Poor Formwork and False work Failure.

Building collapse can occur during concrete placement when formwork and falsework systems fail. Before concrete gains sufficient strength, it relies entirely on the formwork for support. The use of weak or defective timber, improper propping, inadequate bracing, or poor connections can lead to sudden and catastrophic collapse during the construction phase.

The continuous reuse of damaged or overstressed formwork beyond its safe capacity is particularly dangerous. Poor alignment and inadequate stiffness cause distortion of beams and slabs, while props that are poorly founded or unsecured render the entire system unstable and unsafe.

Preventive Measures (Remedies)

Use properly designed formwork and falsework systems with adequate bracing and propping.

Inspect all timber, metal supports, and accessories before every concrete pour.

Ensure formwork and props are founded on firm, stable, and level ground.

All formwork systems must be approved by qualified and competent supervisors before casting.

In line with the Nigerian National Building Code (NNBC), a Registered Builder is responsible for guaranteeing the safe design, er****on, inspection, and dismantling of formwork, and for preventing collapse during construction. This responsibility is exercised through the use of the Formwork Compliance Form as a standard control and documentation guide.

For the past five years, the Construction Artisans Awards (CAA) has consistently celebrated outstanding construction artisans across Nigeria whose skills, professionalism, and contributions continue to shape the building construction subsector of the Nigerian economy.

Beyond recognition, CAA is driving youth skills acquisition, closing the skilled manpower gap in the construction industry while strengthening local capacity and reducing dependence on foreign artisans. It positions construction trades as dignified, viable, and sustainable career paths for Nigerian youths.

As a key stakeholder in the Built Environment, the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) partners with CAA to ensure artisans are not only trained but competency-assessed and quality-driven, reinforcing professionalism, safety, and excellence in project delivery nationwide.

This collaboration aligns directly with the policy thrust of the NIOB President, Bldr. Hon. Daniel Abimbola Kolade, FNIOB, which prioritizes youth empowerment and entrepreneurship as critical enablers of sustainable housing delivery and economic growth. Through structured skills development and entrepreneurial capacity building, young artisans are empowered to evolve from skilled hands into business owners, employers of labour, and nation builders.

The stage is set for the 6th Edition of the Construction Artisans Awards (CAA 2026), themed:
“Building a Skilled Nation: Quality, Consistency, and Growth.”

LIFE AND TIMES OF LATE BLDR. PROF. YOHANA DANIEL IZAM, FNIOB, PPNIOB (1967–2026)

Bldr. Prof. Yohana Daniel Izam, FNIOB, PPNIOB—Past President of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) and former Vice-Chancellor of Plateau State University, Bokkos—was one of Nigeria’s finest Builders whose contributions to national development continue to resonate even in death.

Professor Izam earned his Bachelor's in Building from the University of Jos (1987), MSc in Construction Technology from the University of Lagos (1990), and PhD in Construction Management from the University of Jos (2008). His 28-year academic career began in 1990 as Lecturer II at the University of Maiduguri, advancing to Professor of Construction Management by 2011.

He served as Provost of the College of Arts, Science and Remedial Studies, Kurgwi (2000–2003), leading its official commissioning by President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2001. He was Plateau State Commissioner for Housing and Transport (2003–2007) before returning to academia.

He was the pioneer Head of the Department of Estate Management at the University of Jos (2013–2015), Deputy Dean, Faculty of Environmental Sciences (2012–2015) and later Head of the Department of Building (2015–2018), Chairman, Faculty of Environmental Sciences Strategy Committee on Programme Accreditation (2015), Editor-in-Chief, Nigerian Journal of Construction Technology and Management, Member, NUC Accreditation Panels for Building Programmes, member Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) and many others.

With over sixty peer-reviewed publications in journals, conferences, and workshops as well as a recent book on building construction - Professor Izam was a leading authority in Construction Technology and Management.

In recognition of his service and leadership, the Kurgwi Traditional Council conferred on him the title Majidadin Kurgwi in 2002. He is also a holder of five traditional titles across Plateau State.

His life was a shining testament to service, leadership, scholarship, integrity, and unwavering commitment to the advancement of the building profession and national development in Nigeria.

May his Soul rest in peace.

Building Collapse Cause: Poor Concrete Production and Placements.

Concrete only attains its required strength when properly produced, placed, and cured using the correct materials and procedures. Wrong mix ratios, the use of substandard or improperly stored cement, excess or uncontrolled water, and dirty or contaminated aggregates significantly weaken concrete.

On many sites, concrete is mixed by guesswork rather than in accordance with approved mix designs, leading to poor control of cement content and the critical water–cement ratio.

The use of non-potable or contaminated water interferes with cement hydration, reduces strength, and accelerates reinforcement corrosion.

Excess water — often added to improve workability — increases porosity and drastically reduces compressive strength, while insufficient water prevents proper hydration of cement.

Poor compaction during placement leaves voids, honeycombing, and weak zones, which reduce load-bearing capacity.

Improper or inadequate curing further deprives concrete of the strength it should gain with time.

Remedy:
1. Strictly follow approved mix designs and measure cement, water, and aggregates accurately.

2.Use good-quality cement, properly stored and within its shelf life.

3. Ensure only clean, potable water is used and maintain the specified water–cement ratio.

4. Provide proper vibration and compaction during placement.

5. Cure concrete adequately for the required number of days.

6. Engage trained personnel and apply basic site quality control tests.

Engaging a Registered Builder guarantees correct concrete practice, effective supervision, and the prevention of building collapse arising from weak structural members.

Bldr. RAHEEM Akeem Ayinde is a Professor of Building from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Nigeria. He holds a Ph.D. in Building Structures from Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria. He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Building (FNIOB). He is presently the Head of Building Department, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, Nigeria.

As an active researcher and project leader, he has led some funded researches and has more than eighty (80) published articles in reputable journals locally and internationally, to his credit. He has successfully supervised Six (6) PhD theses, Twenty (20) M. Tech. dissertations and over 500 B.Tech. Students' projects while many are on-going. His current research interest is in incorporation of agriculture residues (such as rice husk ash, wood ash, corn cob ash, etc,) in cement and concrete.

He has served as Professorial Assessor to many Universities within and outside Nigeria. He has also taught at various levels as a Visiting Professor at the University of Lagos, Caleb University, Lagos and Department of Civil and Chemical Engineering, University of South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Bldr. Prof. Raheem has served as a reviewer to notable local and international journals such as USEP, Journal of Research Information in Civil Engineering (RICE), University of Ilorin, Nigeria; Construction Research Journal, Department of Building, University of Lagos, Nigeria; Journal of Construction and Building Materials (Elsevier), United Kingdom; Sustainability – Open Access Journal, Switzerland, etc.

He served as the Pioneer Editor in Chief for LAUTECH Journal of Civil and Environmental Studies (LAUJOCES) from 2017 to 2025 and produced 15 Volumes of the Journal within that period. He is the Team Leader, Cement and Concrete (CEMCON) Research Group. LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, Nigeria.

Bldr. Prof. Raheem has served the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) in various capacities amongst which are – Member, Research and Development Committee; Editor in Chief, The Professional Builder; and presently- Chairman, Research and Development Committee and Chairman, Association of Builders in Academia (ABA).

NIOB Membership Application Now Open.

It’s another application cycle for interested persons who studied Building, Building students, and Building Artisans to register with the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB).

This is an opportunity to join the professional body responsible for regulating and advancing the practice of Building in Nigeria.

Check the flyers for more details.

🌐 Visit: www.niobnat.org

Office of the Publicity Secretary NIOB and media team