NIStructE conference participants call for stronger professional standards, modern engineering practices and climate-resilient infrastructure.
Structural engineers in Nigeria have called for stricter enforcement of building regulations, wider adoption of digital technologies and stronger professional standards to improve infrastructure safety and prevent building collapses.
The recommendations featured at the 2026 Conference and 39th Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers (NIStructE), held at the International Conference Centre of the University of Ibadan, Oyo State.
The conference, themed “Re-engineering Structural Practice for a Resilient, Digital and Sustainable Infrastructure in Nigeria,” brought together engineering professionals, academics, regulators and other stakeholders to examine emerging technologies, climate resilience and the future of structural engineering.
In his keynote address, a former NIStructE president, Engr. Oreoluwa Fadayomi, argued that Nigeria needed to move beyond conventional engineering practices and embrace digital technologies to improve infrastructure safety, efficiency and sustainability.
He stressed that future infrastructure could not be developed effectively using outdated practices and institutional arrangements.
Discussions at the conference focused on how digital tools and modern engineering methods could support better design, construction monitoring and infrastructure management.
Technology and accountability in construction
Digital technologies such as building information modelling, computational design and smart infrastructure monitoring can help engineers identify potential problems, coordinate construction activities and improve the assessment of structural performance.
However, technology alone cannot eliminate building failures. Proper soil investigations, sound design, quality construction materials, competent supervision and compliance with approved plans remain essential to structural safety.
Effective regulation and professional accountability are equally important in ensuring that construction projects meet required standards.
Nigeria’s recurring concerns about building safety have made enforcement, professional competence and construction oversight critical issues for the engineering sector.
The conference’s focus on resilient and sustainable infrastructure also reflects the need to account for environmental pressures, changing climate conditions and the long-term maintenance requirements of public and private structures.
The challenge for regulators, developers and engineering professionals is to translate the recommendations into consistent practices capable of protecting lives and extending the lifespan of infrastructure.