Worried by the myriad of challenges confronting Nigeria’s real estate and construction industry, experts have stressed the need for deeper collaboration and inclusiveness among professionals, warning that persistent rivalry and competition continue to hinder the sector’s growth.
They identified key industry concerns such as substandard building materials, weaknesses in the Land Use Act, recurring building collapses, the influx of foreign artisans from Togo and Ghana, unregulated quackery, poor artisan competence, incessant price hikes in building materials, and the nation’s huge housing deficit. These, they said, could be addressed through stronger synergy and cooperation among stakeholders.
The experts spoke at the two-day Builders’ Conference and yearly general meeting of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Lagos State chapter, themed “Collaboration, Cooperation and Inclusiveness for Successful and Sustainable Building Delivery.”
They noted that enhanced collaboration would reduce waste, improve decision-making, boost efficiency and innovation, promote sustainability, and encourage new approaches to construction methodology.
Leading the call, Vice President and Chairman, Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), South West, Dr Kunle Adeyemi, said the industry can no longer afford to work in silos. “We can’t work in silos if we must address the growing menace within the built environment. It’s so bad that when you give a quotation to build a house, some quotations expire in less than a week,” he lamented.
Adeyemi called for the domestication of the National Building Code across all states and the introduction of interdisciplinary academic curricula that encourage students from different disciplines to solve real-world problems collaboratively.
He added, “Professionals should learn to balance interests and manage expectations. Let’s align our project outcomes to drive collaborative efforts and mutual respect. A builder is no less important than a civil engineer, just as an architect is no more important than a project manager.
“The government should consider tax breaks for projects that encourage collaboration. Let’s develop guidelines that promote partnership in sustainability, safety, and building information modelling.”
Chairman of the occasion and Managing Director, Megamound Investment Limited, Mr Olumide Osunsina, noted that in his 35 years of practice, the most impactful legacies were built through partnerships aligning government vision, community interest, and private sector expertise.
He maintained that no sustainable project stands on the effort of one entity alone, urging regulators and government to streamline approval processes, strengthen public-private partnerships, and embed sustainability metrics in project approvals.
Chairman of the NIOB Lagos chapter, Mr Thomas Adeoye, said the conference theme was a call to action for stakeholders to “think strategically, build responsibly, and collaborate deeply” to advance a sustainable and resilient building sector.
President of NIOB, Mr Bimbo Kolade, represented by the institute’s Third Vice President, Dr Emmanuel Aladeloba, described the building process as “a collective human endeavour requiring the hands, minds, and hearts of many.”
“When stakeholders cooperate, we lay the foundation for stronger buildings and a stronger nation,” he said. Also, Chairman, Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), Dr Samson Opaluwah, represented by the Registrar/Secretary, Mr Adetunji Adeniran, said the council has been fostering collaboration through several memoranda of understanding signed locally and internationally to enhance professional competence.
He added that such collaboration would also promote gender inclusiveness and create an environment where both young and experienced professionals can work together for the good of the sector.
