HIGHLIGHTS ON THE NATIONAL BUILDING CODE OF NIGERIA 
 

Background and Purpose
 

•    Initiated in 1987 by the defunct National Council of Works and Housing; workshops in 1989 (ASCON, Badagry) and 1990 (Ijebu-Ode) shaped the first draft.
 

•    Formally re-presented at the 2nd National Council on Housing and Urban Development (2005), leading to the 2006 edition.
 

•    The Code was developed to address poor planning of cities, incessant building collapse, fire disasters, quackery, use of substandard materials, and weak regulation.
 

•    Aim: Establish minimum standards for pre-design, design, construction, and post-construction stages of buildings to ensure safety, quality, and professionalism.
 

Structure of the Code
 

1.    Part I – Administration
 

o    Sets out definitions, scope, and applicability of the Code.
 

o    Establishes the Building Code Advisory Committee (BCAC), under the Minister of Housing & Urban Development, responsible for periodic review and oversight.
 

o    Provides clear interpretations, definitions, and abbreviations of building terms.
 

2.    Part II – Technical (Professionals)
 

o    Building Design Classifications: Categorizes buildings into Use Groups A–L, e.g. Assembly, Business, Educational, Industrial, High Hazard, Institutional, Mercantile, Residential, Storage, Mixed Use, Utility.
 

o    Building Construction Classifications: Provides technical standards for fire safety, structural integrity, materials, and occupancy.
 

o    Defines responsibilities of registered professionals (Architects, Engineers, Builders, Surveyors, etc.) in all stages.
 

3.    Part III – Enforcement
 

o    Divides the building process into four regulated stages:
 

    Pre-Design Stage – planning, approvals, environmental and safety assessments.
 

    Design Stage – adherence to professional standards and safety codes.
 

    Construction Stage – site supervision, materials quality control, and health & safety compliance.
 

    Post-Construction Stage – building use certification, maintenance standards, and inspections.
 

o    Establishes the role of the Code Enforcement Officer (CEO).
 

4.    Part IV – Schedules and References
 

o    Provides supporting documents, data, tables, and approved forms linked to the Code.
 

o    Incorporates referenced standards such as National Fire Safety Code and others.

Key Provisions
 

•    Minimum Standards: All buildings must comply with minimum requirements for safety, durability, and habitability.
 

•    Certification: No building can be occupied without a Certificate of Use and Habitation issued by enforcement officers.
 

•    Fire Safety: Detailed fire hazard classifications and preventive standards.
 

•    Accessibility: Public buildings must make provisions for the physically challenged.
 

•    Zoning & Planning: Integrates urban and regional planning laws, requiring development permits and compliance with zoning regulations.
 

•    Professional Accountability: Only registered professionals may prepare, design, and execute building works.
 

•    Prohibition of Quackery: Prevents use of non-professionals and untested materials.
 

•    Maintenance: Every building must have a Building Maintenance Manual.
 

•    Enforcement: State governments are encouraged to adopt the Code into their laws for effective local implementation.

Significance
 

•    Provides a national benchmark for building standards in Nigeria.
 

•    Aims to reduce building collapse, fire outbreaks, and disasters.
 

•    Encourages professionalism, quality assurance, and compliance across the industry.
 

•    Promotes safety, accessibility, and sustainable urban development.

The statement from the Hon. Minister of State For Housing & Urban Development, Yusuf Abdullahi.

It is with profound sadness that I, Hon. Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, mourning the passing of Former President, late Muhammadu Buhari. 

He departed this life on Sunday, June 13, 2024, at a hospital in London.

As we bid farewell to a leader who served Nigeria with dedication, I extend my deepest condolences to the Buhari family, the government, and the people of Nigeria. 

May Allah grant late President Buhari Aljannah Firdaus and grant the family patience and fortitude during this difficult time.

As a nation, we reflect on President Buhari's service and contributions to our country's development. 

May Allah grant us the strength to carry on his legacy of public service and patriotism and grant President Buhari's soul eternal rest. Amen.

The Minister of State for Housing & Urban Development Hon. Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, 

July 13th, 2025.

SPECIAL ADDRESS BY ARC. AHMED MUSA DANGIWA, HONOURABLE MINISTER OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AT THE MINISTERIAL RETREAT ON PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND SIGNING OF 2025 PERFORMANCE CONTRACTS HELD ON THURSDAY, 3RD JULY 2025, AT SANDRALIA HOTEL, JABI, ABUJA

Theme: Accelerating Service Delivery through Performance Contracting and Strategic Alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda

PROTOCOLS

The Permanent Secretary,
Directors and Heads of Departments and Units,
Our distinguished colleagues from the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and the Central Delivery Coordinating Unit,
 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. Let me begin by once again warmly welcoming everyone to this important Ministerial Retreat and the official signing of our 2025 Performance Contracts. This event provides us a moment to reflect, to refocus, and to recommit ourselves to the responsibility we have been entrusted with.
2. His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has laid out a bold and ambitious vision through the Renewed Hope Agenda. As a Ministry, we play a key role in delivering on that promise—through housing, urban infrastructure, and land reforms. That responsibility is heavy, and rightly so. The expectations from the public—and from the President—are high.
3. As you are all aware we started off very strong but the journey has not been easy. One of the major hurdles we have faced is funding. Budget releases have been slow, and we are all aware of the broader financial pressures the government is grappling with. These constraints have affected project timelines and limited what we could deliver.
4. But that is exactly why we need to think differently. We can not  afford to rely solely on traditional funding methods. We need to be innovative. We need to build strong partnerships—especially through Public-Private Partnerships. PPPs give us the opportunity to tap into private sector resources, unlock capital, and bring in expertise to get things done faster and better.
5. As you are all already aware, our 2025 deliverables are clear and targeted. They include:
   1. Delivering 20,000 housing units across the country;
   2. Creating incentives to attract private investment into local building materials production;
   3. Expanding land registration and documentation programmes to ensure security of tenure;
   4. Setting up a National Land Commission to anchor and coordinate land reforms;
   5. And fully rolling out a performance-based management system across all departments and units.
6. These are real targets tied to national priorities and the President’s Performance Bond—which, as you know, is being closely tracked through the dashboards and scorecards developed by the CDCU.
7. I want to take a moment to appreciate the support of the Central Delivery Coordinating Unit and the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation. Your guidance and collaboration have been invaluable. But more importantly, the insights and systems you’ve introduced must now reflect in how we work every day.
8. I also want to thank all of you—the staff and leadership of this Ministry—for your efforts so far. I know the sacrifices many of you make daily to keep things moving, especially in these tough times. But the truth is, we need to dig even deeper. We need more discipline, more creativity, and an even stronger commitment to delivering results.
9. So as we sign these performance contracts today, let us treat them not as formalities, but as a renewed pledge—to serve, to deliver, and to keep pushing, no matter the obstacles.
10. I remain fully committed to leading this charge, and I am counting on each and every one of you to do your part. Let’s move together—with focus, with integrity, and with a shared sense of purpose.
11. On that note, I have the honour to formally declare this Ministerial Retreat on Performance Management and the Signing of the 2025 Performance Contracts open.
12. Thank you, and God bless the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY THE PERMANENT SECRETARY, DR. SHUAIB M. L. BELGORE, FEDERAL MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AT MINISTERIAL RETREAT ON PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (PMS) AND SIGNING OF 2025 DIRECTORS’ PERFORMANCE CONTRACTS AT SANDRALIA HOTEL, JABI, ABUJA ON 3RD JULY, 2025

Protocols

The Honourable Minister

The Honourable Minister of State

Directors and Heads of Departments,

Resource Persons,

Esteemed Colleagues,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is with great honour and a deep sense of responsibility that I welcome you all to this significant and historic Retreat on the Ministerial Performance Management System (MPMS) and the Signing of the 2025 Directors’ Performance Contracts. This retreat marks a critical step in our collective journey to institutionalize a performance driven culture within the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

As we are all aware, the Performance Management System (PMS) is a core policy initiative of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), aimed at entrenching a results-based approach to governance and public service delivery. The MPMS Retreat, therefore, offers us the opportunity to align our Ministry’s deliverables with national priorities and to operationalize the PMS as an essential tool for driving institutional efficiency and accountability.

It is important to note that this is the second Ministerial Retreat convened by the Ministry for the purpose of reviewing, deliberating, brainstorming, and validating our MPMS Plan. The maiden edition held in 2024 was instrumental in identifying and articulating the Ministry’s priorities and deliverables under the following key focus areas:

1. Presidential Priorities aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the current administration;
2. Operational Priorities in accordance with the National Development Plan (NDP) 2021–2025 and other relevant national policy frameworks; and
3. Service-Wide Priorities guided by the directives and policy thrust of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

Following the 2024 retreat, the Ministry directed all Directors and Heads of Departments to cascade and sign their Performance Contracts by 4th July, 2024. I am pleased to report that this directive was diligently executed through your commendable commitment and collaborative efforts.

To further support the implementation process and ensure robust performance appraisal mechanisms, the Ministry engaged the services of resource persons from the Federal Ministry of Regional Development to guide the development and finalization of performance appraisal templates and processes.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Performance Management is now a mandatory requirement as outlined in the 2021 Revised Public Service Rules, serving as a cornerstone for assessing, rewarding, and developing civil servants. It aims to improve institutional effectiveness, identify capacity gaps, and ensure every officer contributes significantly to national development goals.

Accordingly, the OHCSF has issued a directive mandating all MDAs to conclude the following PMS-related activities by Friday, 28th March 2025:

1. Conduct of the 2025 Annual Performance Management Retreat;
2. Development and agreement on performance expectations and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for 2025;
3. Cascading and signing of Performance Contracts from the institutional level down to the individual level; and
4. Institutionalization of Monthly Performance Reviews and Quarterly Performance Appraisals.

In line with this directive, our Ministry is fully committed to complying with all outlined requirements within the stipulated timeline. Achieving this will, however, require our collective resolve, active participation, and unwavering dedication to the implementation of the PMS.

The role of leadership is central to the success of PMS implementation. This includes but is not limited to:

1. Providing clear policy direction, support, and oversight for PMS execution across all departments and units;
2. Fostering a culture of transparency, feedback, collaboration, and continuous improvement;
3. Investing in digital tools and technologies to ensure seamless monitoring, reporting, and evaluation;
4. Utilizing PMS outcomes to inform decisions on promotions, training and capacity development, and improvements in service delivery.

Distinguished Directors,

As we proceed with this retreat and the performance contract signing ceremony, I urge everyone to be actively engaged in the sessions. Let us take this opportunity to interrogate our strategies, refine our plans, and recommit ourselves to the goals and expectations of the Performance Management System.

Together, we can strengthen the Ministry’s capacity to deliver on its mandate and contribute meaningfully to the national housing and urban development agenda.

Thank you all for your commitment, collaboration, and dedication.

God bless you.

God bless the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.