The Nigerian Institute of Architects and the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development have reaffirmed their commitment to tackling Nigeria’s housing deficit and promoting sustainable urban development.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, underscored the importance of collaboration in achieving affordable and sustainable housing during a courtesy visit by the NIA leadership to his office.

Reacting to issues raised by the NIA on housing deficit, urban planning, and community engagement, Belgore stated that these concerns “are issues that align with the presidential deliverables of the Ministry,” adding that he encouraged the institute’s partnership in that regard.

President of the NIA, Mobolaji Adeniyi, stressed the institute’s commitment to addressing housing challenges through “strategic collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.”

He emphasised that “effective partnership” was crucial to solving Nigeria’s housing crisis, noting that the institute was ready to “introduce innovative designs, promote the use of sustainable materials, and enhance community engagement to create more inclusive and resilient urban spaces.”

Adeniyi also called for the transfer of the Building Materials Standards Organisation from the Standards Organisation of Nigeria to the Housing Ministry.

He argued that this move would “strengthen regulatory oversight, tackle the proliferation of substandard building materials, and curb the increasing cases of building collapses across the country.”

Belgore acknowledged the problem of building collapses, particularly in newer constructions, and stressed the need for improved quality control.

He highlighted the Ministry’s efforts to standardise certification for construction artisans, stating, “We are building schools, and we want to have a situation where every artisan has a certification.”

In line with this, he revealed that the ministry was exploring the establishment of an agency to oversee building material standards.

The proposed agency would be responsible for “the issuance of building material standard certificates,” further ensuring quality control in the construction industry.

Belgore also reiterated the ministry’s dedication to fostering teamwork in addressing national housing challenges.

“We have to profile [construction workers], look at their capacity, look at their competence, look at their area of specialisation, look at a lot of considerations, and even look at physical strength,” he stated.