A Professor of Structural and Material Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering at the Kwara State University (KWASU) Malete, Prof Samson Olalekan Odeyemi, has urged the Federal Government to introduce policies that will require construction projects in Nigeria to incorporate a minimum level of recycled or sustainable materials.

Prof Odeyemi, made the call on Wednesday, while delivering the varsity’s 22nd Inaugural Lecture titled: From Rubble to Resilience: Gathering the Fragments for a New Structural Paradigm, explaining that such policy would lay foundation for a new era of building construction in Nigeria, where structures are designed for greater strength, resilience, and environmental sustainability.

Odeyemi identified agricultural waste products like rice husk ash, corn cob ash, sugarcane bagasse ash, and palm oil fuel ash as valuable industrial resources that can be transformed into high-performance engineering materials.

While noting that these materials are not primary binders, he said that they possess pozzolanic properties that react during cement hydration to produce additional strength-enhancing compounds.

He emphasized the need for Nigeria to reduce its overdependence on conventional cement by embracing a circular economy that promotes the use of locally sourced waste materials in the construction industry, adding that supportive legislative frameworks and industry policies would encourage the integration of these materials into building projects, reduce environmental pollution, and lower construction costs.

He added that: “research has demonstrated that concrete produced with agricultural waste-derived materials can meet and even exceed conventional technical standards while providing a more cost-effective and sustainable alternative for infrastructure development.”

As evidence of the practical application of the research, the lecturer pointed to the interlocking paving stones at the entrance of the KWASU Faculty of Engineering, which were produced using rice husk ash and locally sourced fibres, demonstrating that the innovation has moved beyond the laboratory into real-world application.

He further described Nigeria’s construction industry as one where standards are often influenced by market forces, emphasizing the need to protect the sector from excessive dependence on imported construction materials and the environmental impact associated with carbon-intensive cement production.

To reduce incidents of building collapse due to substandard and unregulated construction practices, Professor Odeyemi recommended that government agencies such as the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) ensure that only certified materials reach the market.

Odeyemi reaffirmed that adopting sustainable building materials derived from agricultural waste would not only improve the durability and resilience of infrastructure but also promote environmental conservation, stimulate local industries, and support Nigeria’s drive toward sustainable development.