Abuja: The Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) and the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) have pledged to deepen their partnership to develop the building sector in Nigeria. The Chairman of CORBON, Samson Opaluwah, made this known during a courtesy visit to him by Ntando Khuzwayo, CIOB’s Education Lead for Sub-Saharan Africa, in Abuja.

According to News Agency of Nigeria, Opaluwah reaffirmed the commitment of CORBON toward advancing the building profession through partnerships with organisations like CIOB. He described the move as a significant step for Nigeria, Africa, and the global construction industry. Opaluwah explained that the two institutions were determined to work together to strengthen research, improve professional standards, and bridge existing gaps in the industry.

He emphasized that Nigeria, being the largest economy in Africa with a substantial construction industry, would benefit from this collaboration. ‘We will work together with CIOB to bridge that gap and ensure we advance the course of the profession through research. We will also ensure to use our platform which we have set up as professionals to improve our society and promote the practice of building,’ he stated.

Opaluwah noted that the building profession in Nigeria has traditionally operated within distinct professional lines with stakeholders such as engineers, architects, town planners, quantity surveyors, estate surveyors, and builders. Since its establishment in 1989, CORBON has spent 35 years developing standards and practices for the profession to address the nation’s housing deficits. The CORBON chairman highlighted the housing deficit as an opportunity for builders to provide lasting solutions through innovation and collaboration.

He further mentioned that the partnership with CIOB would assist Nigeria in adopting international codes and aligning with global best practices. Opaluwah recalled the recent inauguration of the National Building Code Advisory Committee by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, with CORBON as a member, and emphasized that the collaboration with CIOB was timely and necessary.

Speaking on behalf of CIOB, Ntando Khuzwayo described the existing memorandum of understanding (MoU) between both bodies as ‘very unique’ and a reflection of genuine commitment. Khuzwayo commended CORBON for the opportunity to work collaboratively with them to grow the building industry. ‘This MoU is not just a piece of paper. We have seen the action and interest of the members of CORBON and the public. This is a good sign; it is the first collaborative event in the Sub-Saharan region with CORBON,’ he said.

The two groups have further pledged to sustain the partnership as a model of professional collaboration to drive growth in Nigeria’s construction sector and beyond.