Green building: GBCN rallies stakeholders to accelerate adoption in Nigeria

Nigeria’s push to integrate sustainability into its built environment gained fresh momentum on Tuesday as stakeholders gathered in Lagos for the South West Regional Workshop of the NDC Scorecard for Sustainable Buildings Project, a global initiative led by the World Green Building Council.

The workshop, hosted by the Green Building Council Nigeria (GBCN) in collaboration with the Lagos Office of EGIS and Urban Development, marked the first of three regional engagements aimed at localising Nigeria’s Action Plan for Strengthening Decarbonization and Resilience in the Built Environment.

Nigeria is one of five pilot countries in the project, alongside Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, and the Philippines.

Speaking at the event, Danjuma Waniko, GBCN president, said the workshop was designed to “take the action plan from paper to actual operations.”

“We’ve already developed a plan on how to reduce carbon emissions from buildings and make our cities more resilient to climate change impacts such as flooding and heat,” Waniko explained. “The idea now is to engage sector stakeholders, government, industry, and finance, to agree on what next steps we can take to make it real.”

Waniko commended Lagos for being ahead of most states in mainstreaming sustainability into its development agenda. He pointed to the Lagos Green Building Code, expected to be launched later this year, as evidence of the state’s leadership.

Representing the Lagos governor’s special adviser on EGIS and Urban Development, Segun Williams, senior special assistant on Urban Development, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to green building.

“Lagos State decided two years ago to catch up on the Sustainable Development Goals by supporting the adoption of green energy, green building, and sustainable development,” Williams said.

He revealed that the Lagos State Green Building Code has been concluded and is awaiting approval, after which it will be integrated into the building approval process.

The Lagos official also highlighted related reforms, including the state’s Resilience Strategy, Climate Action Plan, and Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan, as well as initiatives in waste-to-energy, renewable energy transition, and carbon monitoring.

He noted that the government is also working with international partners like IFC and GIZ on capacity development, energy efficiency, and incentives for developers willing to ‘go green’.

Williams acknowledged that public acceptance of green buildings has been slow, partly due to cost concerns.

“Adoption and implementation are issues. People complain that the cost is high, but at some point, we need to take a different step,” he said, adding that the Energy Efficiency Code offers a more cost-effective pathway for adoption.

With Lagos as the starting point, GBCN will convene additional regional workshops across Nigeria to test, refine, and localise the action plan.

Waniko stressed that while federal legislation, such as a National Building Code would provide a guiding framework, state-level adoption remains crucial.

“Building approval, land use regulation, and urban planning are the responsibility of states,” he noted. “The question is, what are states doing? Lagos is showing the way, and we hope others will follow.”