Building Collapse in Lagos Nigeria: Professional Perspective on Construction Materials

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.