NSE: Poor designs and subpar materials are to blame for structural failures.

By Damaturu and Ahmed Amshi

According to the Nigerian Society of Engineers, the main reasons for structural failures in the building sector are defective designs and subpar materials.

During a public lecture and new member induction on Tuesday to commemorate 2025 Engineering Week in Damaturu, NSE President Mrs. Margaret Oguntala made this claim. The NSE President emphasized that in order to prevent delays, budget overruns, and building structural collapses, stakeholders must follow professional and standard processes.

In order to prevent delays, cost overruns, and complete collapse, Oguntala emphasized the significance of following standard procedures through NSE Vice President Usman Tijjani. She described the theme “Construction of flyover and Other Related Engineering Infrastructures” as current, highlighting the long-term economic ramifications and safety issues of such failures.

The Yobe State Government’s dedication to engineering excellence and infrastructure development was praised by the NSE President, who pointed to the current construction of Damaturu’s first flyover as an excellent illustration. She did, however, warn that in order to guarantee longevity and safety, such large-scale projects need careful structural integrity evaluations, precise soil testing, appropriate design, and quality control.

Oguntala noted that flyovers are capital-intensive and require adequate budgetary provisions to avoid stalling midway and becoming liabilities rather than assets.

“Flyovers are capital-intensive and require adequate supervision and budgetary provisions to ensure their durability and safety, “She insisted.

She urged engineers, contractors, and government agencies to uphold the ethics and standards of the profession, paying close attention to technical details such as soil bearing capacity, concrete strength, design load, and environmental impacts.

Earlier, the NSE Chairman, Damaturu Branch, Mr. Aliyu Sabo, stated that the 2025 Engineering Week aims to promote excellence in engineering practice, sensitise the public to quality project execution, and foster ethical standards in the profession.

Visits to engineering-related organizations, project sites, hospitals, and orphanages are just a few of the events that take place throughout the week-long celebration, which ends with a dinner and awards ceremony.

“The first activities of the week-long event are the public lecture and induction of the new members. Other scheduled activities include visits to engineering-related sites, as well as visits to hospitals and orphanages as part of the Society of Engineers Week event,” Sabo emphasized.

The late Mr. Jibrin Umar Kortoni, a former director-general of the Ministry of Lands and Survey and former chairman of the NSE branch, was honored by the chairman for his contributions to the growth of the Society’s Damaturu Secretariat. The occasion marked the induction of 17 new members into the Society of Engineers’ Damaturu Branch.