The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate allegations regarding the Standard Organisation of Nigeria’s (SON) decision to reverse its earlier plan to shut down 18 companies implicated in producing and distributing substandard building materials, particularly iron rods. This resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Edo lawmaker Mr. Billy Osawaru, a member of the All Progressives Congress.
Osawaru expressed concern over the rising incidence of building collapses in Nigeria, attributing these to the use of substandard materials, inadequate regulatory practices, and poor construction processes. He cited statistics from the Building Collapse Prevention Guild, noting that Nigeria recorded 47 building collapses across 14 states in 2024, with Lagos State accounting for approximately 56% of these incidents.
The lawmaker highlighted that at least three buildings have collapsed in different states since January 2025, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries. He criticized SON for not doing enough to prevent such occurrences and pointed out that poor-quality materials and cheap labor contribute significantly to building collapses, particularly in privately constructed buildings.
Osawaru alleged that SON’s reversal of the shutdown order for the implicated companies was influenced by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, raising concerns about the government’s commitment to enforcing quality standards in the construction industry. He noted that companies producing substandard materials often exploit weak enforcement mechanisms to flood the Nigerian market with inferior products while exporting higher-quality goods to regions with stricter regulations.
Following the motion’s adoption, the House of Representatives resolved to conduct a thorough investigation into SON and to develop recommendations aimed at combating the issue of substandard building materials in Nigeria.
