The Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) has urged fresh graduates, students, and young professionals in the construction industry to pursue intensive capacity development and mentorship opportunities to build strong early-career foundations in the building profession.

Speaking at his investiture ceremony in Abuja, the newly sworn-in President of NIOB, Daniel Kolade, said his administration’s focus would be to empower the next generation of builders through innovation, research, and professional growth.

Kolade stressed that the future of the profession rests on the capacity and ethical grounding of young practitioners, adding that the institute would prioritise programmes aimed at developing their technical, entrepreneurial, and leadership skills.

“We will invest massively in innovation and research, concentrating on entrepreneurial development, updating professional regulation and ethics, and embarking on advocacy programmes that influence policies within the institute,” he said.

According to him, the NIOB will strengthen collaboration with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and training institutions to advance Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), skills acquisition, and competency certification.

He also revealed plans to expand the institute’s existing partnership with the Nigerian Correctional Service on skills development, noting that such initiatives would create real pathways for empowerment, rehabilitation, and national reintegration.

Chairman of the event and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, commended the institute for its commitment to professional excellence and called for policies that recognise, regulate, and reward competence and ethical standards in the built environment.

Mustapha emphasised the need for synergy among professionals in the construction industry, warning against inter-professional rivalry and encroachment. “The problem of the building industry is that one person wants to do everything. An architect wants to be an engineer, while a civil engineer would like to be an architect. One surveyor wants to do it all, that is not right,” he lamented.

He urged professionals to respect boundaries and uphold collaboration, noting that each discipline plays a critical role in achieving quality, safety, and sustainability in the built environment.