FG to unveil built environment regulatory framework to improve safety, standards

The Federal Government has stepped up efforts to regulate Nigeria’s built environment industry as part of measures to improve safety, curb building failures, eliminate quackery and raise the sector’s contribution to the country’s economic growth.

Muttaqha Rabe Darma, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, disclosed on Monday that the ministry would unveil a policy framework for regulating the built environment sector later this month for stakeholder consultations before forwarding it to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval.

Darma made the announcement while receiving Sadiq Zubair Abubakar, President of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), and members of the council on a courtesy visit to the ministry in Abuja.

The minister described the proposed framework as a major reform aimed at addressing persistent challenges in the sector, including recurring building collapses, weak regulatory compliance and the activities of unqualified practitioners.

“Before I leave this office, we must regulate the industry. It is one of the landmark achievements that I have set my mind on doing,” Darma said.

He noted that the built environment remains a critical pillar of Nigeria’s economic development but has yet to realise its full potential due to inadequate regulation and poor adherence to professional standards.

According to him, the proposed framework will establish a coordinated regulatory system involving professional bodies across the construction value chain while strengthening compliance with building codes and industry standards.

“There must be certain codes that all of us are responsible to follow and obey. We cannot have an industry as big as what we have and quacks are controlling it,” the minister said.

He urged COREN and other professional associations within the built environment to actively participate in the forthcoming stakeholder engagement, stressing that engineers would play a central role in driving reforms across the housing and infrastructure sectors.

The push for tighter regulation comes amid growing concerns over the frequency of building collapses in Nigeria, particularly in major urban centres, where poor construction practices, weak enforcement of building regulations and the use of unqualified professionals have been identified as major contributing factors.

Darma said the government intends to build consensus around the proposed policy before presenting it to the Federal Executive Council for consideration, describing the initiative as a critical step towards restoring public confidence in the construction industry.

Earlier, the COREN President, congratulated Darma on his appointment, describing the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development as one of the country’s key engineering-driven ministries.

He said the council was confident that the minister’s engineering background would strengthen the ministry’s efforts to improve standards within the built environment.

Abubakar also formally invited the minister to the 34th Engineering Assembly, one of Nigeria’s largest gatherings of engineering professionals, which attracts between 8,000 and 9,000 engineers, technologists, technicians, craftsmen and artisans annually.

He said the 2026 edition would be held in both physical and virtual formats to accommodate participants from across Nigeria and the diaspora.

According to him, this year’s assembly will focus on public safety, regulation, compliance and enforcement, while COREN will present proposals for a tiered sanctions regime that distinguishes between preventive actions, disciplinary measures and criminal prosecution depending on the severity of professional misconduct.

He said the proposed reforms are intended to align engineering regulation in Nigeria with international best practices while strengthening accountability across the built environment sector.