In 2022, no fewer than 61 structures failed in the states of Nigeria.

These happened in spite of the numerous initiatives taken to prevent building collapse around the nation.

Lagos State experienced 20 incidences out of these structural failures, accounting for 48.7% of all cases in 2022, according to the Building Collapse Prevention Guild’s (BCPG) study.

A few of the incidents are as follows: residential development at Hotoro, Unguwar Gabas, behind the Chula filling station, Tauroumi, Kano State; Anglican Primary School 1, Ayetoro Ajegunle, Lagos; construction of a church at the Iragbo community in Badagry, Lagos State; residential development at Road 5 Extension Avenue in Umuguma Owerri, Imo State; Oribanwa Town, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State; Chief Elmore street, behind Ideal Supermarket, Bogije Bus Stop, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos; residential development at 32 Ibadan Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos; residential development at Chris Igadi Street, off Ago Palace Way, across from the Kilimanjaro/AP filling station, Lagos; residential development at Sanusi street, Somolu-Lagos; and so forth.

In the 48 years between October 1974 and November, 541 building collapse occurrences were reported in Nigeria.

With 322 incidents in 48 years, Lagos State leads the table, followed by Anambra (20), Oyo (19), Abuja (18), Kano (17), Ogun (12), Delta (12), Ondo -11, Abia -11, Rivers -10, Enugu -9, Kwara -7, Imo -7, Plateau -7, Kaduna -6, Edo -6, Osun -6, Ebonyi -5, Jigawa -5, Cross River -4, Benue -3, Adamawa -3, Niger -3, Ekiti -2, Akwa-Ibom -2, Nasarawa -2, Zamfara -1, Kebbi -1, Bauchi -1, Kogi -2, Katsina -1, Borno -1, Yobe -1, Bayelsa -1, and Gombe -1.

According to the above statistics, 60% of events in Nigeria occur in Lagos State.

Experts state that a building collapsing is caused by a structural or component failure.

They maintained that a building’s ability to withstand the test of time was dependent upon its construction techniques, materials, and use in relation to the surrounding environment.

Building collapse can occur for a variety of reasons, including poor design, shoddy construction, unusual loads, foundation failure, unexpected failure mode, natural disasters, soil liquefaction, lack of maintenance, subpar material use, inadequate design, developer greed, poor engineering, and earthquakes.