COVID-19 has challenged us to set-up building materials research centre — NIOB president

President of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) Kunle Awobodu, has said the challenges thrown up by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially the difficulties experienced in importing building materials, have compelled the institute to conceive the setting up a research centre for construction materials.

Awobodu, who spoke during the NIOB’s 50th Conference and Annual General Meeting in Abuja on Thursday, said the pandemic revealed the vulnerabilities of the construction industry in Nigeria.

“The lockdown that affected the importation of some inputs for the construction of buildings revealed that Nigeria, even with ambitious development programmes, can be hamstrung during project implementation because of some imported inputs. This remains a challenge which the NIOB is tackling headlong and turning to an opportunity for national development,” he said.

He explained that since materials account for about 60% of the cost of any given building project, addressing the materials’ component in the construction sector would ultimately save Nigeria foreign exchange, create jobs and ease building and housing development projects in the country.

Awobodu, who stressed that the conference’s theme, ‘Building Materials: Research, Creativity and Development’, was apt, said the proposed NIOB Research Centre in Abuja, would focus on cement, concrete, additives, some local materials for partial replacement of cement and recycling of waste plastics for the development of eco-blocks, among others.

“As a matter of fact, NIOB is at the pre-construction stage of the development of a world-class research centre here in Abuja. Public spirited individuals and organisations are welcome to make contributions to the realisation of this worthwhile project in record time,” he said.