Building collapse deaths rise to 1,595 – Report

The Building Collapse Prevention Guild has said that Nigeria witnessed 1,595 deaths in 640 reported incidents of building collapse between October 1974 and January 9, 2025.

According to the Guide, the first recorded building collapse in Nigeria occurred in October 1974 in Oyo State, where a multi-story building collapsed due to excessive loading, killing 27 people.

It stated, “Lagos State has the highest number of recorded building collapses in Nigeria, accounting for 55.15 per cent of all incidents. Abuja comes in second with 4.37 per cent, followed by Anambra with 4.06 per cent, Oyo with 3.44 per cent, and Kano with 3.28 per cent. Some states, such as Taraba, Bayelsa, Gombe, and Yobe, had their first recorded building collapse in 2022. On the other hand, states like Zamfara, Taraba, Yobe, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Sokoto, Gombe, Katsina, and Kebbi have only had one recorded building collapse.

“Interestingly, there were no recorded building collapses in 1971, 1975, and 1981. However, in 2020, despite the COVID-19 lockdown, there were 45 recorded building collapses, with Lagos accounting for 18 (40 per cent) of them. The highest number of building collapses occurred in 2022, with 62 incidents nationwide, and Lagos accounting for 20 (32 per cent) of them. In 2023, there were 52 recorded building collapses, with Lagos accounting for 17 (33%) of them. In 2024, 47 building collapses were recorded across 14 states, with Lagos having the highest number at 13.

“The first recorded building collapse in Nigeria occurred in October 1974 in Oyo State, resulting in 27 deaths.

The tallest building collapse happened in Lagos on November 1, 2021, killing 52 people. As of January 2025, the first recorded building collapse of the year occurred in Rivers State on January 4. These statistics are based on data from the Building Collapse Prevention Guild from 1974 to date.”

PUNCH Metro recently reported that two persons were confirmed dead while six others sustained varying degrees of injuries after a search and rescue operation at the site of a collapsed building in the Lekki area of Lagos State.

The building, which was under construction, reportedly caved in on Tuesday evening and fell on some persons suspected to be workers at the site.

PUNCH Metro reported on Wednesday that one yet-to-be-identified male adult lost his life while three others were injured at the site of the collapsed two-story building.

The spokesperson for the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Shakiru Amodu, had on Tuesday noted that a search and rescue operation was ongoing.

Meanwhile, in a final update of the search and rescue operation released by the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, on Wednesday, a teenager was also recovered dead.

This brought the number of deaths to two, while the injured persons were six.

Oke-Osanyintolu noted that the bodies of the deceased victims were handed over to the health team for necessary action while the injured persons were treated by the LASEMA medical team.

He said, “A teenager, about 15 years old, and an adult male recovered, were confirmed dead and subsequently bagged by emergency responders and handed over to the SEHMU officials.

“Also, six victims were rescued and attended to by the medical team.”

The perm sec disclosed that “the collapsed building has been completely demolished and brought to ground zero with the use of the agency’s sophisticated heavy-duty equipment.”