President Bola Tinubu has called for stricter engineering regulation and stronger professional accountability, declaring that no road, bridge or building is worth more than human life.
Represented by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, President Bola Tinubu made the remarks while opening the 34th Engineering Assembly of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) in Abuja.
Tinubu said engineering plays a vital role in protecting lives and national development, stressing that failures in infrastructure often result in avoidable deaths, economic losses and declining public confidence.
He urged COREN to continue enforcing professional standards, describing regulation as a tool for protecting citizens, government investments and critical national infrastructure.
The President also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to delivering durable infrastructure under the Renewed Hope Agenda, stating that ongoing Legacy Road Projects are being designed to last between 50 and 100 years.
Minister of Works David Umahi warned engineers against compromising professional ethics by allowing contractors to influence technical decisions, insisting that engineering errors often carry irreversible consequences.
COREN President Prof. Sadiq Abubakar said the council is embracing predictive regulation to identify engineering risks before failures occur while expanding digital compliance systems and nationwide inspections.
Representing Dangote Group President Aliko Dangote, Chief Economist Prof. Hassan Mahmoud said quality engineering remains essential for Nigeria’s industrial growth and attracting long-term investment.
Stakeholders at the assembly agreed that stronger regulation, ethical practice, improved digital compliance and proportionate sanctions would be critical to reducing infrastructure failures and improving public safety across Nigeria.
