Federal Government has disclosed that more than 1,600 people have lost their lives in over 650 building collapse incidents recorded across Nigeria in the last 52 years, highlighting the urgent need for stronger regulation in the construction sector.

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Engr. Muttaqha Rabe Darma, made the disclosure on Tuesday during the Stakeholders’ Workshop on the Validation of the National Housing Data Programme Report and the Regulation of the Built Environment in Abuja.

According to the minister, most of the collapsed structures had approved designers, builders and supervising officials, yet very few cases resulted in sanctions or prosecutions.

He lamented that the lack of accountability has contributed to the recurring incidents, stressing that stricter enforcement of building standards is necessary to protect lives and property.

Darma also advocated reforms in the housing sector, including the establishment of a National Housing Industry Regulatory Commission and a national housing data observatory to improve planning and oversight.

He noted that Nigeria’s housing finance system remains underperforming despite millions of contributors to the National Housing Fund, describing the country’s low mortgage-to-GDP ratio as a sign of systemic inefficiency rather than a lack of resources.

Also speaking at the workshop, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Shuaib Belgore, said the government is working to establish a credible national housing data system that will support evidence-based policymaking, attract investment and improve monitoring of housing interventions nationwide.

Belgore added that strengthening regulation of the built environment is essential to tackling the persistent challenge of building collapses through improved compliance with construction standards and coordinated institutional reforms.