LAGOS GOVT DEMAND CERTIFICATE OF FITNESS FOR ALL MARKET STRUCTURES
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…… warns against substandard materials, insists on mandatory Structural Integrity Tests , every five years
The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory Agency (LSMTL), has declared that all Market Structures across the State, will be required to present Certificates of Fitness as part of renewed efforts to enforce Structural Integrity and prevent Building Collapse.
This declaration was part of stringent standards against building collapse in a Sensitization Campaign with Market Leaders , Association Executives, and key Stakeholders in the Construction value chain., across the Lagos Metropolis, at a Forum which held in the Alimosho Local Government’s Multipurpose Hall, on Thursday 18th June, 2026.
Speaking during the event themed “Zero Tolerance for Structural Failures and Building Collapse: Structural Integrity Testing a Mandatory Safeguard.” the General Manager , LSMTL; Engr. Olayinka Abdul, who was represented by the Director of Business Development Unit 2, LSMTL, Mrs. Abimbola Adenote, described Market Leaders as the “Gatekeepers of Quality in our Built Environment,” noting that the materials passing through their Markets, which include Aluminium Products, Steel, Blocks, and other construction inputs, ultimately become the foundation of structures where Lagos residents live, work, and worship.
Engr. Abdul highlighted the sobering reality of Building Collapse in Nigeria, stating that between 2005 and 2022, the country recorded over 180 incidences, with Lagos State accounting for more than 60 per cent (60%) of these tragic events.
She expressed optimism that through improved Regulatory Oversight, Stakeholders’ Engagements, proactive Inspection, and adherence to standards, Lagos State recorded its lowest rate of building collapse in 2025 after over the last 20 years of construction defects that mar its image
The General Manager announced that the Lagos State Government recently launched the Certified Structural Integrity Programme (CSIP) , which mandates Structural Integrity tests on every building in Lagos every five years to determine their habitability, describing the programme as a paradigm shift from reactive responses to proactive strategies in Building Control.
“Under the CSIP framework, LSMTL, in collaboration with sister Agencies; the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) and the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) , enforces a mandatory three-stage testing regime:1. Pre-construction: Mandatory soil tests before permits are issued. 2. During construction: Destructive tests on cement, blocks, concrete, steel, and sand. 3. Post-construction: Non-destructive tests (NDT) using modern equipment like the Pundit and Profoscope to check the integrity of standing buildings” she stated
The General Manager recalled that the Lagos State Government has demonstrated its commitment through several measures, including the review and enforcement of Building Codes, the strengthening of the Lagos State Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law, the empowerment of LASBCA for regular monitoring and enforcement, and the recent sealing of 827 Construction sites for violations relating to Destructive and Non-Destructive Testing requirements.
“LSMTL has introduced new quality assurance measures, including mandatory signing and sealing of raw Laboratory data, Compulsory Laboratory Comparison Exercises, intensified Audit Processes, and the inclusion of Weather Information in NDT reports, as well as the introduction of the electronic Materials Testing Management System (e-MTMS), a digital platform that assigns unique tracking codes to every construction sample submitted for testing. “ She informed
Still reiterating the importance of compliance on Materials Testing, Engr. Abdul explained that Non-Destructive Testing was a series of scientific tests conducted on standing buildings to determine their structural stability and safety without causing damage to the structure, saying “Just as we service our vehicles regularly to ensure they remain roadworthy, buildings in use must undergo structural tests every five years, in order to ensure continued safety,”
She warned that compliance with CSIP is mandatory, stressing that buildings must pass integrity tests and obtain Certificates of Fitness. “Our Non- Technical Consultants can serve notices, while Officers request Structural Integrity reports and, where owners fail to comply within the stipulated period, issue final warnings or seal the affected buildings,” she said.
While explaining the measures were slated strategies in combating Non- compliance, Engr. Abdul implored the Market Leaders to prioritize Quality Assurance, Partner with regulatory Agencies, educate their Members, lead by example, even as they report substandard materials. “We can either be part of the problem, or we can be the foundation of the solution. Let us choose to be the alliance that stopped building collapses in Lagos State,” she added .
According to Bldr. Babajide Oyedele , of the Technical Services Department, LSMTL who facilitated at the forum, structures are likened to expectant mothers, that require adequate care and strategic planning for safety , as well as long lasting results .
He stated that the first step after building approval from LASPPPA is to check the soil for the type of structure that can withstand the test of time, which basically determines the foundation of every structure, even as he decried the practice of getting sand for construction from gutters or eroded roads, which when used , often corrode concrete as well as Steel to induce Building Collapse.
Still Speaking, Bldr. Oyedele averred that the new LSMTL Policy prioritizes Professionalism, requiring only licensed Professionals at all Construction Sites across Lagos State, emphasizing in his address “You cannot treat a Medical ailment through patronage of Quacks that is detrimental to your health. So Government will not condone mediocrity in Building Construction based on ignorance,”
He declared further that all Markets in Lagos State , will require presenting Certificates of Fitness to their Market Structures, hence , the advocacy of Sensitizing Market Leaders of this development ahead of Government’s enforcement actions.
Oyedele maintained that the sensitization Campaign underscores questionable practices and concepts imbibed in construction such as the nonchalance in constructing soak-aways close to building structures, of which water from these pits often seep into foundations and causes decay of concrete, thus aggravating building collapse, warning further that most market fires also occur because of inferior quality wires,as part of Materials used in Construction that should be well assessed. “All forms of cracks in the market should be well scrutinized using Non-Destructive Tests,” he informed
In his address, the Executive Chairman of Alimosho Local Government, represented by the Super Councillor on Market, Prince Rufai Gbemisola,who urged every resident of Lagos to be wary of negative feedback associated with the State in terms of structural integrity, emphasizing that every form of Construction must be treated as a Separate Project requiring Materials Testing in every aspect, stressing that Lagos State has zero tolerance for collapse and defaulters will forfeit their structures.
While addressing the gathering ,the Baba- Oja General of Alimosho Local Government, Prince Yekini Saka, called for a synergy with Block moulders and Bricklayers, to ensure a seamless Materials Testing process, even as regulatory monitoring Bodies proffer effective Management Systems to curb sharp practices associated with Construction across Lagos State.
Speaking on Steel Quality, the Assistant Director of the Steel Unit , LSMTL; Bldr. Tunde Lawal, noted that the quality of steel produced requires accuracy in the TMT System, adding that low quality induces collapse, thus requiring regulatory compliance and Public enlightenment, through the Forum , in order to curb the catalyst of building collapse across Lagos State.
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