The 55th National Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) has ended in Abakaliki with Ebonyi State earning plaudits for successfully hosting the country’s foremost gathering of construction professionals.
Held from August 19 to 23, 2025, under the theme “Advancing Builders’ Knowledge and Skills for Effective Enforcement of Building Regulatory Laws for Sustainable Development,” the event drew builders, academics, regulators, real estate developers, insurers, and policymakers from across Nigeria.
Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, through his People’s Charter of Needs Agenda, used the platform to showcase the state’s infrastructure renewal, including new road networks, the Vanco Flyover and Tunnel, and the ICT University, all of which delegates toured during the conference.
According to participants, Ebonyi’s hosting underscored its new image as a regulatory vanguard committed to safety, accountability, and sustainable development. The conference spotlighted Nigeria’s urgent need to enforce building laws to curb the rising cases of collapses and substandard projects across the country.
Beyond technical sessions and paper presentations, the event also opened up business opportunities. Contractors, regulators, and financiers engaged in critical conversations, while local hospitality outfits, transport services like EBOCAB, and the Chuba Okadigbo International Airport recorded a surge in patronage—boosting the state’s Internally Generated Revenue.
Students from universities and technical institutes in Ebonyi benefited from exposure to new professional networks and global standards in construction technology, quality assurance, and sustainability.
For several days, Abakaliki dominated professional and policy media cycles, with consistent references to Ebonyi’s developmental strides. Analysts described the visibility as “earned branding” that money could not buy, projecting the state as investment-ready.
Issuing the report on Saturday, Dr. Boniface Nwankwo, Special Assistant to the Governor on Documentation, described the hosting as a strategic success. “Governor Nwifuru has shown the nation and international community that Ebonyi is capable of organizing high-profile professional events while aligning with global standards of sustainability and professionalism,” he said.
Dr Nwankwo noted that with the successful hosting, Ebonyi has joined the league of Nigerian cities capable of convening national stakeholders in the built environment, while also positioning itself for future global partnerships and investment opportunities.
