CORBON Inducts 420 Registered Builders, Announces Competition

In a bid to tackle the high cost of housing and promote the use of local materials, the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) has announced plans for a unique building competition. This ambitious initiative, slated to launch in 2024, aims to identify the most affordable construction methods utilising readily available domestic resources.

The announcement came alongside the induction of 420 newly registered builders into the profession, marking the 23rd such ceremony held by CORBON. Addressing the inductees and journalists at the event, CORBON Chairman Samson Opaluwah emphasised the rigorous process these individuals had undergone to demonstrate their building expertise.

“These 420 registered builders have met the requirements to build, and they have gone through a long process,” Opaluwah stated. He further expressed unwavering support for the federal government’s public building maintenance policy and encouraged wider adoption by both state and private sectors.

Underscoring the council’s commitment to efficient construction and expert management, Opaluwah pointed to the establishment of the CORBON diaspora network, adding that the platform fosters collaboration between Nigerian building practices and international best practices, ensuring continuous improvement and innovation within the industry.

However, the issue of affordability remained a central focus. To address this challenge, Opaluwah unveiled the upcoming building competition.

He said, “We are setting up a competition among practitioners of building in the country to determine the cheapest building using locally produced materials. That competition is starting in 2024.

“The essence is that when we are engaging like this with you, we’ll be able to tell you the minimum cost of building a one or two-bedroom house using Nigerian products. That is one of the plans we have towards affordability because housing is a right for every citizen.”

This competition not only promises to drive down housing costs but also encourages the utilization of locally sourced materials, a potential boost to the Nigerian economy and a step towards self-sufficiency in the construction sector.