More than 150 construction workers lost their lives at various sites where building collapses, machinery-related accidents and other circumstances occurred in 2024.

The federal government disclosed this while revealing that Nigeria experiences an average of 50 to 70 major construction accidents annually as a result of building collapses and fallen of heavy duty machineries.

Daily Trust reports that scores of site workers had in the past and recently been trapped under the rubble, especially in major cities including Lagos, Kano, and Port Harcourt and others.

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Giving the statistics on behalf of the government on Wednesday, the Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Oluwaseun Faleye, expressed deep concerns over the development.

Faleye made this revelation in his presentation at the 69th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI).

“The Nigerian Safety Commission reported over 150 fatalities linked to construction site accidents last year alone,” he said.

Faleye said that the accidents underscored the importance of prevention and stronger health and safety protocols.

He added that strengthening safety involved rigorous audits, compliance with standards and continuous capacity building to protect workers at all times.

The government official, therefore, urged construction companies to work with NSITF’s Health, Safety and Environment team on audits, training and interventions.

He added that a proactive safety culture was vital to preventing future tragedies, noting that embedding safety and welfare in every project would ensure sustainable growth in the industry.

“NSITF remains dedicated to supporting safety initiatives through audits, certification processes and enforcement of standards. This is because a resilient construction industry depends on a healthy, protected workforce,” he said.