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Daniel Adaji
The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, has said the federal government will consider the establishment of a Building and Engineering Construction Commission under the oversight of the Ministry to strengthen regulation across Nigeria’s construction sector.
Dangiwa gave this assurance on Tuesday, during a courtesy visit by the Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria (QSRBN) to the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja. The proposal was raised by the QSRBN President, Obafemi Onashile, as part of a broader call for reforms in the construction industry.
“On the issue of establishing a Building and Engineering Construction Commission under the oversight of the Ministry, it will be looked into,” the Minister stated in response.
The proposed commission, according to Onashile, would help address regulatory gaps in the built environment and promote cohesion across the construction sector.
He also emphasized the need for stricter controls on buildings exceeding nine meters in height and called for the recognition of construction health, safety, and environment as an independent qualification.
Earlier in the meeting, Dangiwa reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to supporting the QSRBN, commending its contributions to cost control, procurement auditing, and contract administration.
“At a time when we are pushing aggressively to deliver on the Renewed Hope Housing Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, your expertise in cost control, contract administration, and procurement auditing is more critical than ever,” he said.
The Minister urged the Board to maintain high standards of ethics and professionalism in its licensing responsibilities.
“Proper training and licensing of professionals to practice ethically is a sure way of safeguarding the integrity of the profession and supporting the government’s agenda of eliminating waste, corruption, and substandard practices in the built environment,” he added.
Dangiwa also stressed the importance of collaboration with the Ministry to ensure transparency and accountability in housing delivery.
He highlighted areas where the Board’s support would be vital, particularly in quality assurance for key national projects like the Renewed Hope Housing Programme and the Building Materials Manufacturing Hubs planned across the six geopolitical zones.
He assured that the Ministry would address challenges raised by the QSRBN, including the recovery of hijacked plots of land and funding shortfalls.
“We will also count on your support in strengthening quality assurance and control on our project sites nationwide,” he said.
Onashile outlined the Board’s recent achievements, such as registering qualified quantity surveyors, accrediting academic programmes, and organizing its 2024 annual assembly. He also invited the Minister to serve as Chairman and Guest of Honour at the Board’s 2025 Annual QS Assembly scheduled for May 14–15.
Also present at the meeting was QS. Nzekwe Kene Christopher, President of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), presented reform proposals,s including the creation of specialized construction courts, a review of the Federal Housing Authority law, and the establishment of a Construction Industry Development Board.
The NIQS President also emphasized the need for legal frameworks for construction contracts and robust implementation strategies, while advocating a collaborative partnership with the Ministry to drive these reforms.