Structural engineers under the aegis of the Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers (NIStructE) have decried rising unethical practices in project management, warning that such trends threaten safety and professionalism in the nation’s construction sector.
Speaking at the Institution’s 2025 Conference and 38th yearly general meeting, themed “Strengthening and Advancing Structural Engineering Practice in Nigeria”, in Lagos, the President of NIStructE, Johnson Adeyoye, lamented the increasing frequency of building collapses across the country and called for the employment of qualified professionals in critical roles.
Adeyoye commended the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) for recognising the vital role of structural engineers in the built environment and for gazetting the Regulation of Structural Engineering Practice into law.
He stressed the need for stricter enforcement of professional standards and alignment with global best practices, stating, “Only COREN-registered and NIStructE-certified structural engineers should design and supervise the construction of multi-storey buildings and other major structures in Nigeria.”
In his keynote address, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by his Special Adviser on Infrastructure, Olufemi Daramola, called for continuous improvement in design standards, materials, and project oversight to ensure safety and sustainability.
Sanwo-Olu said the state government is strengthening partnerships with professional bodies to uphold building standards and prioritise continuous professional development. “Effective enforcement must be paired with professional accountability and public awareness,” he said. “As we strive to elevate structural engineering practices in Nigeria, we must move beyond compliance and embrace innovation.”
The governor identified digital tools, artificial intelligence, green construction, and resilient design as the future of engineering practice. He emphasised the need for collaboration among government, academia, and industry to promote research and innovation, while equipping institutions to train engineers with both classical fundamentals and digital competencies.
He added, “Integrity demands that every calculation, every choice of material, and every approval bear the weight of professional conscience. In structural engineering, where human lives and national assets depend on the soundness of your designs, there can be no room for compromise.”
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Urban Development, Gbolahan Oki, urged stronger partnerships between government and professionals in the built environment to curb unethical practices.
A former president of NIStructE, Peter Igbinijesu, in his presentation, called for greater oversight by regulatory bodies to check misconduct and ensure compliance. He advocated increased funding for research, promotion of indigenous materials, and reduction of substandard inputs in the supply chain.
Delivering a paper titled “Retooling with Mandatory Continuing Professional Development for Effective Professional Practice of Structural Engineering,” the Chairman of the NIStructE 2024 National Conference Planning Committee, Aileme Unuigbe, called for the establishment of a sustainable framework for knowledge transfer and retention of young professionals in the field.
Unuigbe urged the creation of a national database of practising structural engineers, policy guidelines for engaging expatriates, and a deliberate effort to build local capacity. He noted that weak enforcement of the Structural Engineering Practice Act and limited involvement of engineers beyond permit documentation had led to lapses in safety supervision.
He decried the misuse of structural design software by inexperienced practitioners and called for the joint engagement of local structural engineering firms alongside foreign contractors in major capital projects to reduce knowledge gaps.
In their joint presentation on “Strengthening and Advancing Structural Engineering Practice in Nigeria,” Dr Michael Egbedike and Prof. Akaolisa Ezeagu proposed an integrated framework combining policy, legal, institutional, and digital reforms tailored to Nigeria’s context.
They identified overlapping regulatory roles and weak enforcement as key obstacles to professional accountability and standardisation. According to them, Nigeria’s continued dependence on British Standards and Eurocodes, without adaptation to local conditions, creates inconsistencies.
They advocated the implementation of a localised National Structural Design Code, comprehensive legal reform, and digital transformation to strengthen the practice and restore public trust in engineering delivery.
