NIA: Quackery, Influx of Foreign Firms Threat to Practice of Architecture in Nigeria

•Architects’ body celebrates 65 years of existence

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) yesterday raised concern over the rising challenges in the profession, listing the unchecked activities of unregistered practitioners as well as the growing influx of foreign architectural firms as major threats to the future of architecture in Nigeria.

Speaking during a press conference in Abuja, regarding the upcoming 65th anniversary of the organisation, the President of NIA, Mobolaji Adeniyi, lamented the low number of fully registered architects in Nigeria.

She pegged the number at just about 7,000 out of over 15,000 trained professionals, emphasising the dangers posed by unqualified individuals handling building projects.

“When I was young, we used to call it ‘architecture torture’ because of the rigorous process involved. It’s not the first choice for many students, and even those who study it, many don’t complete the full registration process. You must have the flair, skill, and the will. It’s art and science combined, not something for everyone.

“We have seen so many collapsed buildings in Nigeria, and investigations often reveal they were not handled by registered professionals. The architect is supposed to lead the construction team, ensuring every element is professionally handled, structural, mechanical, and otherwise. But we see people cutting corners, using quacks, and excluding architects entirely,” she lamented.

On the issue of foreign incursion, Adeniyi expressed strong concern about the re-emergence of international firms dominating local projects without proper collaboration Nigerian architects.

“Architecture is cultural. You can’t import a design from Tokyo and expect it to work in Lagos. We know our people and how to design for them. The law requires foreign architects to work in partnership with Nigerian architects, but today we are seeing foreign firms bypassing this through ‘design-and-build’ packages,” she explained.

The NIA chief also highlighted government shortcomings, particularly in the enforcement of building standards and the quality of imported materials.

“Most of these failed buildings used substandard materials. The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) needs to wake up. And beyond that, our professionals are not being paid. You can’t expect motivation or quality when people are begging for their dues,” she stressed.

The organisation maintained that it’s illegal for anybody who is not licensed to practice architecture in the country, explaining that when this simple rule is adhered to, it will help to reduce the number of building collapses.

Describing the journey so far as that of resilience, and enduring relevance, Adeniyi noted that it was not just a celebration of longevity, but of the lives, the ideas, and the institutions that the NIA has impacted.

Stressing that the initial reason for forming the NIA was to ensure that Nigerians were able to take over control of the practice of architecture in the country, the institute stated that before independence, most of the architectural works were done by foreigners.

From an initial number of four in the 60s, the NIA stated that there are now close to 40 universities offering architecture as well as about the same number of polytechnics offering the course, underlining the growth of the profession in recent years.