NAICOM backs building insurance scheme as NIA pushes nationwide adoption

Technical experts from the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) and the Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG) have joined the Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory (LSMTL) in inspecting 12 accredited materials testing laboratories across Lagos State to strengthen quality assurance in the construction sector and reduce incidents of building collapse.

The inspection exercise focused on ensuring that laboratories responsible for testing construction materials comply with professional and technical standards before such materials are used on building projects.

General Manager of LSMTL, Mrs Olayinka Abdul, said the exercise was aimed at reinforcing best practices in materials testing and promoting public safety through improved quality control.

The COREN delegation, comprising Olayinka Alli, Dr Mojirade Oloruntoba and Tomide Akinnawo, underscored the importance of professionalism in evaluating the quality of construction materials. They noted that accurate testing and certification remain critical to the integrity and durability of buildings and other infrastructure.

The team, during the inspection, assessed personnel competence, laboratory capacity, equipment functionality and calibration, documentation, professional certification, and compliance with relevant technical standards.

Relatedly, the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has endorsed the Lagos State Building Insurance Scheme as a blueprint for other states, saying that the technology-driven initiative will strengthen enforcement of compulsory insurance, while the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) said wider adoption could unlock the country’s underdeveloped insurance market and reduce uninsured losses.

The initiative marks one of the most significant regulatory interventions in Nigeria’s insurance industry since the enactment of the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025.

A member of the BCPG delegation and former Head of the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Ewaen Ikponmwosa, stressed the need for regular and independent audits of testing laboratories, particularly privately owned facilities.

According to him, periodic assessments are necessary to ensure that testing equipment remains in good condition, properly calibrated, and that laboratory analyses are conducted by qualified professionals.

Also speaking, the immediate past Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Geotechnical Engineers, Lagos State chapter, Ebenezer Ologuntoye, described the exercise as a significant step towards improving oversight in geotechnical practice.

He noted that since sub-soil investigation reports are mandatory for obtaining building plan approval in Lagos State, the role of the LSMTL in sanitising the geotechnical sector cannot be overemphasised.

The Commissioner for Insurance, Olusegun Omosehin, represented by the Deputy Commissioner for Insurance (Finance and Administration), Ekerete Ola Gam-Ikon, while launching the scheme in Lagos State, at the weekend, said the era of weak enforcement of compulsory insurance laws must come to an end.

According to him, while Nigeria has enacted laws requiring insurance for public buildings and buildings under construction for several years, enforcement has remained weak, creating room for fake insurance certificates, quack operators and widespread non-compliance.

Omosehin warned insurers that the credibility of the initiative would depend largely on prompt claims settlement, stressing that delayed or unpaid claims could undermine public confidence in compulsory insurance.

Also speaking on the development, Chairman of the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA), Mrs Ebelechukwu Nwachukwu, described the Lagos initiative as a major milestone in protecting lives, property and investments, noting that insurance should be viewed as a preventive economic safeguard rather than a post-disaster intervention.

Nwachukwu urged insurers participating in the scheme to uphold high underwriting standards, maintain professionalism and ensure prompt settlement of genuine claims, adding that the association would continue to collaborate with governments and regulators to improve compliance with compulsory insurance nationwide.