Association Endorses Tinubu For Second Term, Seeks Support For Block Moulding Industry

National Association of Block Moulders of Nigeria (NABMON) has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in office.

The group cites his administration’s efforts towards national development and economic growth.

The endorsement was made public on Tuesday at the association’s 2026 summit held in Abuja, with the theme, “NABMON as Counterparts in National and Economic Development under Renewed Hope Agenda.”

At the summit, NABMON national president, Alhaji Kareem Ayuba Adewale, said the group was proud to identify with the Tinubu administration and expressed confidence in its leadership.

Adewale, however, drew the government’s attention to the challenges confronting block moulders across the country, particularly the rising cost of cement and other production materials, electricity, transportation, labour and machinery maintenance.

He lamented that rising production costs were making it difficult for many block moulding businesses to remain competitive, sustain operations, and maintain quality standards.

The NABMON president also identified inadequate contractor patronage and limited relationships between local block manufacturers and professionals in the construction industry as major challenges affecting the sector.

He called on the Federal Government to establish a supportive legal and institutional framework that would recognise, protect and strengthen the block moulding industry.

Adewale further appealed for greater government patronage of qualified local block manufacturers in public construction projects, stressing that compliant producers should be given opportunities to supply building materials for government-funded housing and infrastructure projects.

He also called for accessible soft loans with low interest rates and reasonable repayment periods to enable members to acquire modern equipment, expand production capacity and employ more workers.

The association equally urged cement manufacturers to recognise NABMON members as qualified dealers and distributors, subject to their commercial requirements, to facilitate access to cement at competitive prices, adding that such arrangements would reduce production costs, support affordable construction and contribute to making housing more accessible to Nigerians.

He reaffirmed NABMON’s commitment to promoting professionalism, standardisation, quality production and responsible business practices among its members, while expressing readiness to collaborate with government agencies, cement manufacturers and professionals in the construction industry.

In a goodwill message, the Director-General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr Ifeanyi Okeke, emphasised the strategic importance of block moulders in ensuring the safety, durability and sustainability of Nigeria’s built environment.

Okeke, who acknowledged the importance of the sector, said SON remained committed to ensuring that products manufactured, distributed and consumed in Nigeria complied with applicable Nigerian Industrial Standards.

He disclosed that the organisation had intensified efforts to combat the production and circulation of substandard and counterfeit products through factory inspections, market surveillance, product sampling and enforcement of regulations.

The SON director-general stressed that compliance with relevant standards for concrete, cement and other construction materials was non-negotiable, warning that poor-quality building materials posed serious threats to structural integrity, public safety and national development.

Okeke therefore urged NABMON members to embrace standardisation, ensure that their production processes met applicable specifications and submit their products for the necessary conformity assessments and certification.

He also called for stronger collaboration between SON and the association through technical capacity building, laboratory testing, certification services and active participation in standards development.

According to him, quality compliance should no longer be viewed merely as a regulatory requirement but as a shared responsibility and competitive advantage for Nigerian manufacturers.

Speaking with journalists after the opening ceremony, Adewale reiterated the association’s decision to endorse Tinubu for a second term, saying members were pleased with the opportunity to identify with the President.

On the association’s contribution to national development, Adewale maintained that block moulders played a critical role in the construction industry, arguing that blocks constituted a significant proportion of materials used in building projects across the country.

He also expressed concern over disparities in cement prices across different parts of Nigeria, citing prices of about N13,500 per bag in some locations, including Lagos and Osun State, compared with approximately N11,700 in Abuja and N12,500 in Adamawa State.

He called on the Federal Government to investigate the price discrepancies and intervene to address the rising costs of cement and other essential inputs for block production.

The NABMON president also appealed for government assistance in accessing affordable financing to enable members to acquire machinery and other equipment needed to improve their businesses.

The summit brought together government representatives, stakeholders in the building and construction industry, cement manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, architects, builders and engineers to deliberate on the contributions of block moulders to Nigeria’s economic and infrastructural development.

The association expressed hope that the summit would produce practical resolutions to address the challenges facing the industry and strengthen its contribution to housing delivery, employment generation and national development.