In this chapter, the researcher expatiated on Nigeria history, Nigerian built environment professionals, Nigerian building codes and other relative law existing in the built environment of Nigeria. The researcher analyzed the Nigeria planning laws and other section of the constitution that deals with built environment. In doing that, the researcher examined legislation and also accesses the impacts of some of the key built environment professionals. It further explained their professional regulating bodies, Nigeria laws and regulations related to the building industries.
3.1. History, geography, population, education and economy
The British colonial masters colonize Nigeria and made Nigeria a country by amalgamation of the southern and northern protectorate in 1914. Nigeria is a mixture of various ethic, social and semantic groups, ethnic, and semantic groups. Parts of the groups are, the Alafin Oyo Empire, the Benin kingdom, Nupe Empire, Jukun, Kanem-Bornu, and Hausa-Fulani Empire. These various sets of groups people as a group stand as kingdoms and emirates with customary recognized by the colonial master (British) and present government of Nigeria (Falola & Heaton, 2008). Nigeria as a republic is situated within the West African sub-region, in-between latitudes 4º16′ and 13º53′ north and longitudes 2º40′ and 14º41′ east. On her northern border is sighted the Niger republic, Chad republic located to the north-eastern border of Nigeria, Cameroon in the east, and Benin republic in the west as showed in figure below. On its southern front line is outermost edged by the (gulf of guinea) Atlantic Ocean. Nigeria constitute a total land mass of is 923,768 square kilometers.
The occurrence of diverse climatic conditions and topography, varying from uplands of 600 to 1,300 meters in the North Central and east highlands and lowlands lesser than 20 meters along the coaster regions is been experienced in Nigeria. Other geological characteristics of notes are the Chad Basin and Niger-Benue (Nigeria- Demographic and health study, 2008).
The last population census carried out in 2006, the Nigeria population was calculated to be 168,431,790 and the yearly development rate is estimated to be 3.2 percent. Nigeria has an average inhabitant’s density of 150 people per square kilometer according to the 2006 population estimates. Lagos, Kano, Anambra, Imo, Akwa Ibom, and Abia state are the high population density state in Nigeria.
Figure 1: Map of Nigeria and the constituent state (Source: Google map data, 2015).
The Nigerian educational policies administer the right of all children for a mandatory tuition free education at primary school level. This educational policy has enhance growth in the school enrolment and significant increase in educational institutions in public sector area. The nation introduce a national literacy scheme for adults within the country in order to create a broad scope of the national education policy, subsequently the creation of nomadic education to address the needs of offspring of migrant cattle herders and fishermen in the coastal communities. Agriculture has been the base of Nigeria’s economy, before to the discovery of crude oil. For many years Agriculture has been the basic priority source of income, development and foreign exchange for Nigeria, but over time, the nation engages in exportation of crude oil, agriculture lost its superior role in the economy in terms of the country’s foreign exchange incomes. Today Nigeria economic rely mainly on its crude oil exportation reserves, which constitute an account 99 percent of export incomes, 78% of government expenditures, and 40% percent of the GDP (2006).
3.2. Built Environment and building Professionals
Nigerian master plan have failed to work due to government insincerity, nonchalant attitude of planning authorities and institutional problem of physical planning (Bashorun & Ayeni, 2013). Master plans have been prepared for cities in Nigeria through land use Act of 1978 (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria , 1990). An example is the Urban and Regional planning Act of 1992, Urban Development Policy of 1992 and Housing and Urban Development Policy 2002. Basorun (2003) argues that Nigeria present passive planning, as a developing nation needs a proactive plan. Fundamentally, improper and uncoordinated data underlying the preparation of masters plans lead to it ineffectiveness (Bashorun and Ayeni 2013; Olujimi 2011; Olanrewaju 2004). Abayomi (2013) averred that for a planning strategy, citizen participation, integration of modern tools and change of professional’s mental attitude is needed.
Planning, Design and construction of a built environment includes various parties. Professional built environment bodies that serve the government have a great stake of obligation for an effective, safe and quality construction in the environment for the people. The professional, are not much in numbers compared to the population of the country, government need to be concern in order provide an effective and achievable law that can restore the quality of building industry. The regulations are essential to allow key player in built environment engage new trends in planning, designs and construction that are based on built environmental quality. Nwokoye (1983) quote “medical doctors can bury their mistake in grave but built environment professionals are forever damned by their mistake” (Nwokoye, 1983). The engagements of quacks or unqualified and unskilled workers; inadequate supervision by professionals; inadequacy and non-compliance of the existing building regulations; conversion and modification of buildings; egregious disobedience and not abiding to the town planning regulations; compromised attitude of town planning authority workers; lack of sanctions against erring professionals still gives Nigeria built environment a fundamental problem. Absence of co-ordination and cooperation among professional bodies and town planning authority has result to the state of built environment in Nigeria.
The professionals are also involve in this issue of poor quality of the Nigerian built environment out of unethical behavioral that is dangerous for the built environment, citizens put blames on government for majority of the unwanted disasters. Many of Nigerian professional moral philosophy or ethical ideology is reflective in their consequent behaviors. They do not follow the basic standards and principles of their profession (Ameh & Odusami, 2010). It is compulsory that the building professionals in Nigeria should not allowed the issue of political and socio- economic state of the country to jeopardize the ethical ideology of their professions
3.2.1. Architects Registration Council of Nigeria (ARCON)
Built environment of Nigerian buildings do not meet quality standard due to government and private investor’s initiatives planning and designs. Architects and planners have essential roles in designing and planning of building structures in the environments to improve quality of life. Quality of human habitat has to deal with architectural issue in attaining a humane and responsive environment (Olotuah & Ajenifujah, 2009). Architectural planning and design must be properly prepared to enhance standard of human environment by providing a proper and organized planning. Therefore, Nigerian architects have a significant obligation to perform in face-lifting the quality of the built environment. Architecture forms an important part of the environment; architectural engagement should not be neglected in the designing process (Dimuna, 2011).
Buildings designed by an architect should fascinate the physical, economic, social, visual, cultural and psychological needs of people. Quality building industry in Nigeria is achievable, if Nigerian architects abide to the Nigerian building codes, they should become more conscious on using quality materials and avoid short cuts in the method of construction. For example, some building collapse have been reported as a caused of low quality and quantity of material used in the construction (Dimuna, 2011).
ARCON was formed about five decades ago by the Nigerian Decree No. 10 of the 1969 law under the Federal republic of Nigeria. The main aim of ARCON is to enhance the development quality of built environment and growth of the architectural profession in Nigeria. ARCON act (1969) states that an architect is a person qualified and educated to plan, design, and supervise buildings structures.
With the increase in housing demands and to avoid building collapse in the Nigeria built enviroment, ARCON has meet up with its initial aim according to the decree where it was established. About 4000 architects has been given permission to practice under the ARCON registration board to engage in the Nigeria built environment which constitute of over 160 million people, (ARCON, 1969, 2015; Nigeria-World Bank Country Survey, 2013).
Duty of an architect cannot be belittled within built environment. Bottleneck, bureaucracy, self-centeredness, discrimination among intending architects is traced to fall shortage of registered architect’s representation to Nigeria teeming populace (Nigerian Institute Of Architects (NIA), 2014). Architectural design should reflect rendering of quality buildings for human occupancy and usage. Various problems can be traced with the built environment in Nigerian urban cities. The major problems include both the architects and architectural regulating bodies (ARCON and Nigeria Institute of Architects [NIA]) in their design and ideal goal of survival. All these problems have resulted in haphazard development of the built environments, particularly on the cases of building collapse.
Performance of Nigerian architects is been vitiate by the high level rate of nonprofessionals involved in the construction industry. Government ignorance, high level of corruption and ARCON rigid requirements for intending architects is one of the factors for increase of quack practices in Nigeria built environment. Nigeria registered architects are confronted with stiff competitions form quacks, these leading to compromising of standard, just for the need of survival. Nonprofessionals make any design without taking cognizance of underlying its negative effect (Sommer, 1969).
Necessity of architecture is by regularizing physical environment with a sequence of well-planned designs that provides quality building structures. The architectural design manipulates physical environment, it dominance of physical environment ought to enhance interaction and cooperation space users. According to Dimuna (2011), architecture affects social, environmental, behavioral and economic pattern of society. Most of architectural solutions and practices alienate man from the environment, negating the fundamental principle of architecture to regulate relationship between man and his environment
3.2.2. Nigerian building codes and acts (NBC)
Regulating built environment and preserving environment is one of the essence of the National Building code (Anejo & Abdulhameed, 2008). It provides all standard protocol to erect any structure in the country. Some professionals and other stakeholders of built environment do not perform the process stated in the building code, leading to ineffective compliance (Snelling, 1997). National Building Code of 2006 is ascribable to inefficiency of other statutory provisional acts relating to physical environment (National building code (NBC), 2006). Federal environmental protection acts FEPA (1992) and environmental impact analysis EIA Act (1992) were predominating act of 1990’s seeing to issues related to environment. Lot of Nigeria built environment scholars have worked on national building Code (2006) by reviewing of current and inherent problems of Nigeria fragile built environment. The workability of National Building Code (2006) in restructuring Nigerian built environment is not contestable (Dahiru, Abdulazeez, & Abubakar, 2012).
These building codes are set out to curb substandard development within the built environment. According to Dahiru, Abdulazeez and Abubakar, (2012), national building code is to create quality, safety and effectiveness of built environment, setting quality standards on building at all construction stages (Dahiru et al., 2012). Building codes enhance reduction of risks posed by lack of uniformity and curb deplorable condition of built environment (Ojambati 2001; Dahiru et al. 2012). Nigerian national building stock is characterized by decaying and dilapidated buildings which later result to building collapse, having negative effect on human activities as they are engaged within the spaces (Abiola & Makonjuola, 2005).
An overview of national building code is expected and needed in order to reduce haphazard. Snelling (1997) argues that building codes and regulations secure health, wellbeing and comfort of occupant in building structures.
The national building codes and acts was implemented and was observed by stakeholder in international communities and these led into achieving environmental quality which enhances human life quality and conveniences in their communities. If various factors hindering Nigeria national building code are not looked in, achieving a standard and quality built environment may not be achieved (Dahiru et al., 2012). There is need for a well-organized enforcement system free from corruption to enhance building code towards achieving standard built environment (Dahiru et al., 2012). The built environment stakeholder must unify their approaches.
3.2.3. Town planner’s laws, regulations and challenges
Some of the challenges faced by physical planning law and environmental regulations are in different aspects. Planning is concerned to obtain some particular targets through evolving strategies and actions highlighted in a definite pattern. The impact may be on general populace in a town or district area (Olujimi, 2011). Town planning is to establish an amible, safe and standard built environment for man. Planning transform entire human endeavors within physical space where man lives and works in, it focuses on totality of the environment. Olujimi and Basorun (2002) argues that because of animosity surrounded with the term town planning, gave birth to the new terminology “physical planning” (Olujimi & Basorun, 2002).
Keebles (1969) asserts that town planning in process of ordering usage of land, erection of buildings and other relative characters could achieve quality structure by maximizing economy
Adeniyi (1984) attributes one of the aims of physical planning is to provide acceptable policies that stay in line with economic balance with a view to enhance growth within the built environment. Adeniyi’s furthermore describe the planning law as a way of providing standard building codes and its control. Oyesiku (2002) relates physical planning as spatial arrangement of land use for man to perform its daily obligation such as residential, industrial, commercial buildings and open space, transportation, public infrastructure and any other human ancillary activities.
According to Agbola (2001) decisions for future are made through planning process. Planning is the “art and science of organizing use of land for greater good of society” (Olajuyigbe & Rotowa, 2011). Ogu (2010) posits that planning affects efficiency of physical, economic and social development.
History shows that Nigerian has begun physical planning as far as in the 1950s before the time of the British colonization. The traditional settlement planning was referred to the physical planning (Modupe & Olujimi, 1989). Issues experience by Nigeria physical planning scheme dated since traditional settlement planning scheme to colonial town planning scheme. The issues of town enhancement regulations of 1863 by Lord Lugard were giving of more physical planning attention to Government reserve areas (GRA’s). The afore-mentioned law was reviewed after five decades for an extension of physical planning to adopt same regulations to the entire country (Township ordinace, 1917).
According to Olujimi (2011) the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), in conjuction with Town planners registration council (TOPREC) can only account for about 2,333 registerd town planers, Olujimi futher explains that only about 30 registerd firms are also been recognized by the regulaory bodies, this data reflect that a low amount of qualified town planner are available to take care of planning issues within the built environment to provide for the need of over 160 million people .
3.2.4. Congestion within the built environment
The growth in population in Nigeria is the cause of building structure overcrowding. The major cities in Nigeria like Lagos, Ibadan, kano, Enugu, Benin city are Nigeria high density urban communities. The urban spaces is as high as 1:6 or 1:10 proportion of inhabitance per room which is overloading of live loads and its implications could result to a of cause building collapse (Federal Offices of Statics, 2001).Dubos (1969) argues that Congestion of Nigeria building causes environmental contamination, deteriorates professional and social operation. The congestion issues in the built environment is a vital issue for government into looking at how building structures should be used to control its strength to that they will not result to building collapse. Government scope is being constrained to how to find solution to congestion issue. United Nation (1975) believes that African lives in dwelling and relates and communicates in a public space that is dangerous and a cause of human humiliation.
3.2.5. Haphazard development
Osuide (2004) assert that one of crucial quality, physical and mental health, is acquiring a conservative place to dwell. Odomudu (1987) argue that useful building structure enhance wellbeing and desire of citizenry.
Residence place are where domestic and individual function of each individual takes places. Physical and mental health of a man depends on his or her surronding. An individual and his or her home are highlight of society (Aihana et al., 2008). Achieving acceptable built environment, based on the present built environment predicament, Ahianba et al., (2008) suggest establishment of aesthetics values, beautify building structures, good landscaping and visual pleasant open spaces should be combined into the design plan of building professionals and city planners.
3.2.6. Standard of construction
Nigeria has experienced collapse in building and dilapidation of buildings due to several factors in the past. Ibrahim (2013) shows in his research that in an attempt to safe cost and maximize profit by some stakeholder and building professionals, they make use of unacceptable quality building material. application of unacceptable and cheap building material results to low quality of construction of buildings which has cause over 90% of buildings collapse occurrence in the country. Conclusively, majority of contractors involved in low quality construction work are aware of long term implication of their actions. This attitude proceed unabated because agencies responsible for implementing require construction standard are not enforcing required laws on them as expected (Ibrahim, 2013).
3.2.7. Built environment and housing policy approach by Nigerian government
Nigeria gorvenment is concern about the creation of standard building structures and so far some steps has been taken towards achieving this goal, in solving the issues of substandard housing and provisions of an quality living condition for her citizens. The aims of the Nigerian government towards the creation of Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria in 1977 was to help finance various real estate project in form of loan and credit facility with little interest rate on such loans, this idea was to curb the develpment of substandard structure that develop from the level of poverty among her citizens.
In 2007 during the administration former governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) another initiative was carried out, which was the Lagos building monitoring Board that was created with the aims to clear the city of Lagos of some substandard structure and also to solve the problem of building collapse. The board was also establish to serve as a standard regulatory body to check and balance building project within the state and to ensure that standard building codes and protocols are followed.
Toward the creation of adeqaute standard housing for every citizens in Nigeria , the National housing policy takes a vital role in acheving that goal. The Nigeria National Housing Policy (NHP)was formulated in the year 2006. NHP (2006) attributes Housing as the procedure of administring functional abode within an ideal setting in a surronding that can enhance quality sustainable upkeep of the build up environment for man and his families to perform everyday living and activities (Fourchard, 2007). All these establishments are created in order to provide quality living standard for the people (Ibidun, 2009).