Building Collapse in Lagos Nigeria: Professional Perspective on Construction Materials
Azeez Adegbola Azeez *
Department of Building, Lead City University, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
Mustapha Idris Abolade
Department of Building, Lead City University, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
Adefisoye Solomon Ayobami
Department of Civil Engineering, Lead City University, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
Ojo Opeyemi Adepeju
Department of Building, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This study investigates construction professionals’ perceptions of locally sourced building materials in Lagos State, Nigeria. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was adopted, targeting registered architects, engineers, builders, and quantity surveyors. Data were collected through structured Likert-scale questionnaires, and 63 valid responses were analyzed using SPSS with descriptive statistics, Relative Level of Agreement (RLA), and Spearman’s rank-order correlation. Findings show strong agreement that poor-quality local materials contribute to building defects (RLA = 0.81) and collapse (RLA = 0.88). While materials such as sandcrete blocks are viewed as moderately reliable (RLA = 0.57), concerns persist regarding inconsistent quality and weak regulatory oversight (RLA = 0.49). Professionals also identified poor workmanship (RLA = 0.90) and unregulated production (RLA = 0.86) as major factors exacerbating failures. A significant relationship was established between professionals’ perceptions and their material selection and supervision practices. Respondents recommended collaborative policy frameworks among government, professional bodies, and manufacturers (RLA = 0.96), continuous quality-control training (RLA = 0.93), and stricter enforcement against uncertified materials (RLA = 0.93). The study concludes that strengthening regulatory and quality assurance systems is critical to improving confidence in locally sourced materials and reducing building failures in Lagos State.
Keywords: Building collapse, professional perspective, construction materials, selection, usage