AYOBAMI OGUNDAIRO argues for a structured asbestos management
Nigeria’s construction and real estate sectors continue to expand, with increasing investments in residential, commercial and infrastructural developments. However, amid this growth lies a significant public health concern that deserves urgent national attention: the presence of asbestos in building materials and the dangers associated with its exposure.
For decades, asbestos was widely used in construction because of its durability, fire resistance, insulation properties and affordability. It was commonly incorporated into roofing sheets, ceiling boards, floor tiles, pipes and insulation materials. Unfortunately, what was once considered a useful construction material is now internationally recognised as a serious health hazard.
The question Nigeria must confront is simple: Are we doing enough to protect construction workers, property owners, building occupants and future generations from asbestos exposure?
Asbestos refers to naturally occurring fibrous minerals that can release microscopic fibres when asbestos-containing materials are damaged, drilled, cut, broken or improperly demolished. When inhaled, these fibres can lodge in the lungs and cause serious diseases.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), all forms of asbestos, including chrysotile (white asbestos), are carcinogenic. Exposure is associated with mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis and other respiratory diseases. The WHO estimates that occupational asbestos exposure causes more than 200,000 deaths globally annually.
One particularly concerning characteristic of asbestos-related diseases is their long latency period. Individuals exposed today may not develop symptoms for another 20 to 40 years.
In Nigeria, construction workers, roofers, plumbers, electricians, demolition contractors, maintenance personnel and waste handlers may unknowingly encounter asbestos-containing materials. Building occupants and surrounding communities may also face exposure during uncontrolled renovation or demolition activities.
Importantly, asbestos cannot be reliably identified through visual inspection alone. Suspected materials require assessment and, where necessary, laboratory testing by competent professionals.
Many countries have recognised the dangers of asbestos and introduced measures to prohibit its use.
The European Union implemented a comprehensive asbestos prohibition in 2005, while Australia banned the importation, manufacture and use of asbestos-containing products from 31 December 2003.
In 2024, the United States Environmental Protection Agency introduced a rule prohibiting ongoing uses of chrysotile asbestos, subject to specified transition arrangements. Although the United States has not imposed a complete prohibition on every asbestos application, its regulatory approach demonstrates increasing recognition of the associated health risks.
According to the WHO, more than 50 Member States have prohibited asbestos use.
Nigeria must not become a destination for hazardous building materials that other nations have progressively eliminated. Although existing Nigerian environmental regulations address certain asbestos mineral types, the country needs a clear, comprehensive and enforceable national framework prohibiting all forms of asbestos and asbestos-containing products.
Such legislation should address importation, manufacturing, distribution, installation and unsafe disposal, supported by effective enforcement and public education.
Asbestos awareness must extend beyond environmental regulators and occupational health and safety professionals. It should become an essential responsibility of practitioners involved in property development, valuation, construction, facility management, renovation and demolition.
Professional bodies such as the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) have important roles in promoting asbestos awareness and management.
For estate surveyors and valuers, asbestos awareness is particularly relevant during property inspections, valuations, acquisitions, leasing and facility management. A property may appear structurally sound and commercially attractive while containing materials requiring specialist assessment or expensive remediation.
Professionals should understand when asbestos surveys are necessary, how identified asbestos may affect property values and marketability, and the importance of appropriate disclosure during property transactions.
Quantity surveyors must recognise the financial implications of asbestos identification, removal, replacement and disposal, ensuring that appropriate provisions are included in construction and refurbishment budgets.
Architects, engineers and builders should consider asbestos risks when preparing building specifications, refurbishment plans and demolition methodologies, while prioritising certified asbestos-free materials as alternatives.
Professional associations should incorporate asbestos awareness into continuing professional development programmes, technical guidance and professional practice standards.
A competent built-environment professional must understand not only the economic value of a property but also the hazards that may threaten its occupants and workers.
Prohibiting new asbestos products will not automatically eliminate asbestos already installed in existing buildings. Older residential properties, factories, schools, warehouses and commercial buildings may contain asbestos-containing materials. However, their presence should be established through appropriate investigations rather than assumptions.
Also, it is not every building containing asbestos requires immediate demolition or removal. Where materials remain undamaged and undisturbed, controlled management may be safer than unnecessary removal.
Nigeria therefore needs a structured asbestos management framework incorporating asbestos surveys, risk assessments, asbestos registers, competent removal procedures and safe waste disposal.
It is therefore eminent for property owners, facility managers and employers to maintain asbestos registers identifying confirmed or presumed asbestos-containing materials, their locations, conditions and management requirements. Before major refurbishment or demolition, appropriate asbestos investigations should be undertaken. Suspected asbestos materials must not be casually drilled, broken, sanded or removed by untrained workers.
Effective asbestos management requires collaboration between the federal and state governments, Federal Ministry of Environment, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and Nigeria Customs Service.
Priority actions should include comprehensive asbestos prohibition, ban of future importation, manufacture, sale and installation of all asbestos types and asbestos-containing products.
National asbestos management standards: Establish requirements for asbestos surveys, risk assessments, registers and management plans.
Professional competency and licensing: Introduce appropriate training and licensing for asbestos assessors and removal contractors.
Construction and demolition safety: Require asbestos investigations and suitable control measures before relevant refurbishment or demolition activities.
Safe waste disposal: Establish designated disposal facilities and enforce safe packaging, transportation and disposal requirements.
Public awareness and education: Promote asbestos awareness through professional institutions, educational establishments, labour organisations and the media.
Health surveillance: Strengthen occupational exposure monitoring, disease reporting and research into asbestos-related illnesses.
Australia provides a useful example of combining asbestos prohibition with the ongoing management of asbestos in older buildings. Nigeria can adapt similar principles to its regulatory environment and construction practices.
Universities and polytechnics should equally incorporate asbestos awareness into estate management, quantity surveying, architecture, building technology and engineering programmes.
Nigeria’s ambition to expand housing and infrastructure must be accompanied by a commitment to occupational safety, environmental protection and public health.
A construction worker unknowingly cutting asbestos-containing roofing sheets today may suffer serious health consequences decades later. Families living near uncontrolled demolition activities may face similar avoidable risks.
These dangers can be reduced through effective legislation, professional education, risk assessment, competent asbestos management and regulatory enforcement.
The true value of a building should not be measured solely by its location, design or market worth, but also by the safety and wellbeing of those who build, maintain and occupy it.
Nigeria must act decisively to prohibit future asbestos use, responsibly manage asbestos already present in buildings and equip built-environment professionals with the knowledge required to protect lives. Asbestos awareness is not merely a construction concern. It is a public health responsibility, a professional obligation and a national priority. The time for Nigeria to act is now!
Ogundairo, MNIVS (Nigeria), AIFSM (UK), Cert OHS Prof. AIHS (Australia) ayo@ayoogundairoandco.com