Builders association vows to enforce standards, end quackery

The Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) has charged registered builders across the country to strictly enforce professional standards and take the lead in ending quackery in the building industry, as it moves to fully deploy newly gazetted regulations nationwide in 2026.

The charge was given by the Chairman of CORBON, Bldr. Samson Ameh Opaluwah, PhD, in a New Year message on Friday to registered builders, where he outlined the achievements of the Seventh Council and set out priorities for the year ahead, with a strong emphasis on professionalism, safety, and accountability.

Speaking as the Council’s tenure begins to wind down, Opaluwah said CORBON has undergone a major transformation driven by digital innovation, legislative breakthroughs, and global partnerships, all aimed at repositioning the building profession for national development.

He thanked registered builders for their support, noting that the period marked a defining phase for the regulator.

He acknowledged the role of the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, for supporting the Council’s engagement with government and approving two key regulations, the Operational Regulations for Builders’ Practice and the Regulations for Health and Safety on Building Sites which were both gazetted by the Federal Government in 2025.

According to the CORBON chairman, the gazetting of Federal Government Gazette No. 160 and Gazette No. 161 represents a turning point for site monitoring and enforcement.

He said the documents are now “the non-negotiable benchmarks for site monitoring,” adding that with them in place, the Council’s Project Evaluation and Monitoring Unit (PEMU) is fully equipped to enforce professionalism and “eradicate the influence of unqualified individuals on site.”

Opaluwah said the Seventh Council, inaugurated to further position builders in Nigeria’s development agenda and expand the frontiers of practice, remains committed to those goals until the end of its tenure.

He listed other major achievements of the Council to include a digital overhaul of its operations through the Builders Management Portal (BuMaP) and the i-Reg portal, which have automated membership records, licensing, and financial accountability, positioning CORBON as what he described as “a modern and transparent regulator.”

The Council also expanded registration categories to accommodate technologists, technicians, artisans, and related professionals, a move he said was designed to recognise diverse skill sets, improve regulation, and promote inclusivity within the industry.

On workforce growth, Opaluwah disclosed that CORBON recorded the registration and licensing of 1,544 builders over the past three years, bringing the total number of registered builders in Nigeria to 4,521. He said the growth would help ensure that qualified building services are available in every part of the country.

To strengthen oversight in the built environment, he said CORBON deepened collaboration with other regulators, including the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) and the Council of Nigerian Mining Engineers and Geoscientists (COMEG), to enable synchronized monitoring of project sites and close regulatory gaps.

The Council also secured approval for the inclusion of builders in the Manual of Financial Administration of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and recognition of builders’ certificates for SCUML registration, while expanding its global footprint through partnerships with the American Concrete Institute (ACI), the International Labour Organization (ILO), and its role as Co-Lead for Africa in the UNESCO-UNEVOC BILT Project.

Looking ahead to 2026, Opaluwah said the Council will focus on the full-scale deployment of the gazetted regulations as the primary tool for site audits nationwide, the unbundling of the building profession to create specialised niches and career pathways, and the operationalisation of the Builders in Diaspora Committee to integrate international best practices into the local industry.

He used the opportunity to issue a direct charge to registered builders, stressing that the Builders’ “deserved place” in national development “will not be given; it must be maintained through the quality of our output.”

“I therefore charge every Registered Builder to,” he said, urging them to “Own the Regulations,” treat Federal Government Gazettes 160 and 161 as their professional creed, “Stay Competent” by engaging in CORBON’s bi-monthly capacity building workshops, and “Lead with Integrity,” ensuring that every site they manage reflects safety, structural integrity, and quality workmanship.

Opaluwah said the Council remains committed to providing the leadership and tools needed to reduce quackery and building collapse in Nigeria, calling on builders to work collectively towards “a Nigeria where professionalism is the only standard.”