5 Costly Construction Mistakes Nigerians Abroad Make in Lagos

If you’ve read our guide on Everything You Need to Know About Hiring a Construction & Project Management Company in Lagos, you already know the value of choosing the right partner. This follow-up gets specific about the mistakes we see most often from diasporans and some local clients and how to avoid them in the unique contexts of Lagos Island and Mainland projects. We’ll tie each mistake to published case studies or official data and show simple actions that protect your money, timeline, and safety.

Who this is for

Nigerians in the diaspora funding home builds or investment properties in Lagos.
Local owners/investors starting new builds or major renovations.
Anyone comparing Island vs Mainland realities soil conditions, enforcement intensity, and market expectations.

1. Skipping (or “faking”) permits and stage certification

Too many projects still break ground without a valid Planning Permit and a stage-by-stage inspection plan with the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA). It’s not “paperwork” it’s your first layer of structural and legal risk control. The Lagos e-Planning portal (LASPPPA) states that planning permit approval can be processed once a complete application is submitted (with defined timelines), and LASBCA regulations require developer notifications and inspections at key stages. Non-compliance risks stop-work orders, demolitions, and worse structural failure.

Island vs Mainland lens: A closer look

Island (Ikoyi/VI/Lekki/Oniru/Banana Island): High-value land drives speed and pressure. The 2023 Banana Island seven-storey building collapse drew headlines; reports cited approval/quality concerns and unapproved construction, underscoring why permit integrity and stage checks matter.
Mainland (Ebute-Metta/Mushin/Yaba/Surulere): Older stock + uncontrolled alterations can be deadly. The Ebute-Metta 2022 collapse killed at least 10 people; conversions and weak compliance culture were noted. LASBCA’s stage certification and inspections are specifically designed to prevent this pattern.

Action step: Before paying mobilization, confirm your Planning Permit number, approved drawings, and a written inspection calendar (foundation, reinforcement, concrete pours, structural frames, MEP rough-ins). Insist that your project manager logs every LASBCA interaction and certificate.

2. Managing builds by proxy through unverified middlemen

A common diaspora story: funds sent to a relative or “agent,” sparse updates, scope creep, and poor workmanship until the costs explode. Even tech investors serving diasporans have publicly described recurring problems with family-managed builds: delays, lack of documentation, and weak controls. Without professional supervision and transparent payments, you risk paying for work that’s not to code or not done at all.

Real estate guidance targeted at diasporans highlights traps like buying through unverified middlemen, ignoring due diligence, and falling for promo-driven pitches. The same logic applies to construction: trust but verify with independent professionals and documentation.

Island vs Mainland lens: Let's Look Closer

Island: Higher land values magnify losses. A “cheap” shortcut is often the most expensive decision later especially where concrete grades, piling, and corrosion protection are unforgiving.
Mainland: You’ll see more legacy buildings and informal crews. Without a QS-issued BOQ, progress photos, receipts, test results, and sign-offs, you’re financing a black box.

Action step: Here are a couple of really important action steps to assist you on journey;

Appoint a professional project manager and quantity surveyor
Pay via milestone certificates tied to inspections + test results.
Use cloud folders for drawings, photos, cube tests, rebar inspections, and invoices.

3. Under-spec’ing structure and materials (or hiring “quacks”)

Across Nigeria, the Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG) has tracked hundreds of collapses; Lagos is repeatedly the epicenter. The statistics are sobering and consistent across multiple reports: Lagos accounts for a large share of recorded collapses over the decades, emphasizing the consequences of weak design/specification and poor enforcement.

Investigations into the Banana Island collapse pointed to substandard materials and unqualified practice as factors. On the Mainland, incidents in Mushin and Ebute-Metta highlight dangers from unauthorized conversions, aged structures, and low-quality construction.

Read our blog on “Sustainable Building Practices in Nigeria’s Urban Areas“

What this looks like in real life:

Concrete grade not tested; no cube results.
Rebar diameters substituted.
Block quality inconsistent (density/strength not verified).
Loads changed mid-project (extra floors, rooftop tanks) with no structural redesign.
No third-party lab testing.

Action step: Lock your SON-referenced specs for steel, cement, blocks, electricals and mandate independent material testing at milestones. Treat changes (e.g., adding a penthouse) as engineering events not site improvisation.

4. Ignoring site-specific risks especially water table, corrosion, and legacy conversions

Lagos isn’t one uniform site. Geotechnical realities vary sharply between the Island and Mainland. On the Island (especially reclaimed or coastal zones), higher water tables, saline environments, and softer soils mean piling, cover to reinforcement, damp proofing, and MEP waterproofing must be meticulously planned and inspected. Mainland risks skew toward aged stock, ad-hoc conversions, and overloading (e.g., turning a building designed as a commercial plaza into dense residential without structural upgrades). Both patterns have featured prominently in recent collapse timelines.

Action step: Commission a soil investigation before design. For Island sites, detail anti-corrosion measures, cover to steel, waterproofing, and drainage. For Mainland redevelopments, do a structural integrity assessment before altering use or adding floors then obtain fresh LASBCA approvals and inspections.

5. Treating safety and compliance as “site admin” instead of critical path

Safety/non-compliance is not a side issue; it’s schedule and cost. Lagos has increased enforcement of night work bans, demolition of illegal builds, and targeted drives because corners cut at odd hours correlate with poor quality and tragedies. When enforcement meets a non-compliant site, you lose time, money, and goodwill instantly. healthandsafetyinternational.comlasbca.lagosstate.gov.ng

Stage certification research in Lagos underscores how mandatory inspections and documentation reduce collapse risks; yet many teams rush pours without sign-offs or test results. Don’t. Your program should plan for inspections as hard milestones.

Action step: Build a compliance calendar: LASPPPA submissions, LASBCA notifications (e.g., 7-day notices), scheduled inspections, and test windows. Refuse work without engineer + inspector sign-off.

Lagos Island vs Mainland: Two quick case-study snapshots

Case Study A (Island): Unapproved/defective mid-rise risk

A seven-storey under construction in Banana Island collapsed in April 2023. Reports referenced approval issues and quality concerns an expensive reminder that high-end postcodes don’t protect against basic engineering failures. For diasporans targeting luxury condos or short-let products, design approval + inspection discipline is non-negotiable.

What would have helped: Verified planning approval, stage certificates, independent testing, and strict material controls.

Case Study B (Mainland): Legacy stock + ad-hoc conversions

In Ebute-Metta (2022), a three-storey building collapse killed at least 10; reports cited conversion/overloading of an older structure. Mainland districts with aging buildings and informal modifications are especially vulnerable don’t buy or convert without structural assessment and fresh permits.

What would have helped: Pre-purchase structural audit, change-of-use engineering, LASBCA inspections, and quality-assured materials.

A simple, diaspora-friendly build framework (copy/paste this)

Title & survey: Verify ownership and boundaries before design.
Geotech first: Do soil tests; choose foundations accordingly (especially on Island).
Design to code: Structural + MEP designs referencing SON standards; fire/life-safety.
Planning Permit (LASPPPA): Submit via the e-Planning portal; track timelines.
Construction plan: LASBCA notification, stage certification calendar, safety plan.
Commercials: QS-issued BOQ; contracts with milestone + inspection-tied payments.
Quality control: Independent labs for cubes/rebar/blocks; photo logs; as-built drawings.
Operations in mind: Solar-ready conduits, sub-metering, insulation, and water management.
Handover dossier: Permits, test results, warranties, and maintenance manuals.

Work with Hamthel (so these mistakes don’t happen to you)

We manage Lagos builds end-to-end for diasporans and local investors: permits, quality gateways, independent testing, QS controls, and solar-ready design.

You’ll see what you’re paying for with documentation. Book a free 20-minute consultation with our dedicated expert just for you, and we’ll map your approval path, inspection calendar, and payment safeguards.