In a significant move to address the regulatory shortcomings in Nigeria’s construction sector, the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening collaboration, improving standards, and promoting professionalism across the built environment.
At the MoU signing held recently in Abuja, CORBON Chairman, Samson Opaluwah, described the partnership as a “milestone” in professional cooperation and resource optimisation in infrastructure development. According to him, the agreement is expected to elevate construction practices through the deployment of expert knowledge and strict adherence to professional standards.
“This signposts a milestone in our joint endeavours to foster professional excellence, collaborative delivery and the optimisation of human resources in the built environment,” Opaluwah stated.
The agreement outlines a framework for collaboration in key areas such as capacity building, joint regulatory enforcement, knowledge exchange, and advocacy for best practices within Nigeria’s construction and engineering industries.
COREN President, Prof. Sadiq Abubakar, who also spoke at the event, stressed the importance of unity between both regulatory bodies, warning that rivalry would only weaken Nigeria’s infrastructure drive and harm the economy.
“If we envisage that we are going to be competitors and we’re going to be confronting ourselves, Nigeria is going to lose. Nigerians will lose. Our economy will go down,” he cautioned.
Among the expected outcomes of the agreement are more robust professional training programmes, enhanced research cooperation, improved compliance monitoring, and a harmonised approach to combating industry malpractice.
Abubakar also drew attention to the recurring issue of building collapses in Nigeria, attributing many of these tragedies to gaps in legislation that fail to hold developers accountable. “Eighty per cent of what’s happening is not captured in the legislation. It has to do with the developers,” he noted, adding that plans are underway to propose amendments to existing laws to extend COREN’s regulatory oversight.
According to the COREN president, the collaboration will see CORBON certified professionals integrated into COREN’s Enforcement and Regulatory Monitoring framework nationwide. This, he said, would provide a stronger front against unlicensed practitioners and substandard construction practices.
“We will sit down with CORBON and request input on that. We want to fast-track that process so that before the end of this year, we are in the National Assembly,” he said.
In a show of unity, both Opaluwah and Abubakar emphasised the importance of working together to achieve long-term development goals in the sector.
“Today, we embark on a new chapter of cooperation and collaboration towards mutual growth, rather than competition and confrontation,” Opaluwah affirmed.
Abubakar echoed the sentiment, saying, “We are not competing. We should synergise and work as a team to improve the nation and to improve our lot.”
The ceremony concluded with an exchange of mementos, symbolising the shared commitment to transforming Nigeria’s built environment through regulatory harmony and professional synergy.
