BCPG Urges Tinubu to Rehabilitate Old Federal Secretariat, Ikoyi Towers over Safety, Economic Concerns

Bennett Oghifo

The Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG), Ikoyi–Obalende Cell, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently intervene in the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of the long-abandoned Old Federal Government Secretariat and the adjoining Ikoyi Towers in Ikoyi, Lagos, warning that continued neglect poses serious safety, economic and urban regeneration risks.

In an open letter dated February 6, 2026, the professional body expressed deep concern over the worsening condition of the iconic federal assets, which have remained largely unused for decades despite their strategic location and immense national value. The Guild recalled that it had earlier drawn attention to the state of the buildings on May 25, 2024, marking the first anniversary of President Tinubu’s administration, but noted that deterioration has since continued unabated.

According to BCPG, the Old Federal Government Secretariat, a 12-storey structure constructed in 1976, was once a hub of federal activities in Lagos before being largely abandoned in 1991 following the relocation of the Federal Capital to Abuja. Although the complex was redesigned in 1993 to accommodate about 480 families as a residential development, the proposal was never implemented.

Similarly, the three 12-storey Ikoyi Towers, constructed in 1978 on an adjoining but separate site, have remained abandoned since 2005, according to public records. The Guild noted that both properties occupy separate parcels of prime land in Ikoyi, with the Old Secretariat sitting on approximately 120,000 square metres, while the Ikoyi Towers occupy about 12,140.569 square metres, roughly three acres.

“These landmark assets, despite repeated efforts by successive administrations, have regrettably remained underutilised, continually dashing the hopes of Lagosians who regard them as legacy public infrastructure,” the letter stated.

Beyond their symbolic importance, the Guild highlighted the significant economic cost of continued abandonment. Based on comparative market valuations as of 2025, BCPG estimated the combined value of the assets at about ₦12.608 trillion, approximately $9.3 billion. It further estimated that the Federal Government has foregone about ₦93.5 billion in potential revenue, net of operating expenses, using conservative rental yield assumptions for comparable developments in Ikoyi.

The Guild described this opportunity cost as particularly troubling in the context of Nigeria’s persistent housing deficit and growing demand for well-located residential and mixed-use developments.

However, BCPG stressed that the concerns go beyond lost revenue. It warned that prolonged abandonment has led to progressive structural deterioration, escalating future rehabilitation costs and avoidable safety risks. These risks, it said, affect not only security personnel and informal users of the premises, but also neighbouring residents and workers within the surrounding urban corridor.

The letter also raised alarm over increasing incidents of vandalism and theft, noting that steel scrap thieves have targeted abandoned structures nationwide, stripping valuable components and accelerating decay. Given the prominence and location of the Ikoyi properties, the Guild said timely intervention has become increasingly critical.

In acknowledging recent positive developments, BCPG members referenced the anticipated impact of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Road Corridor on housing and urban renewal across the Lekki Peninsula. The Guild expressed optimism that a similar transformation could be achieved in Ikoyi through the remodelling of the Old Federal Secretariat and Ikoyi Towers.

It argued that rehabilitating the assets would stimulate regeneration in Ikoyi, widely regarded as the President’s primary constituency and residential base, while serving as visible symbols of progress, community revitalisation and responsible stewardship of public property.

“Our sole demand is the restoration of active use to these national monuments,” the Guild stated, expressing confidence that rehabilitation and adaptive reuse would generate significant economic and social benefits for Nigeria.

BCPG urged President Tinubu to use his influence to convert decades of underutilisation into opportunity, stressing that decisive action would enhance public safety, restore confidence in federal infrastructure management and set a strong precedent for sustainable and strategic asset utilisation nationwide.

The open letter was signed by Arc. Bola Arilesere, MNIA, PMP, MED, MILD, Coordinator of the BCPG Ikoyi–Obalende Cell, and QS. Adebola Adeyera, MNIQS, RQS, PMP, Secretary, who both wished the President success in his tenure and appealed for urgent action to safeguard the nation’s built environment.