The Lagos State government and a group of development partners, including the Policy Innovation Centre, BiNTA Fellowship, Nigerian Economic Summit Group and Integrity Organisation, have teamed up to explore behavioural insights as a solution to building collapse.
The Permanent Secretary, Office of Urban Development, Engr. Olalekan Shodeinde, who spoke at a Workshop with the theme ’’Nudging Ethics: Behavioural Insights for a Better Built Environment” at the Colossus Hotel, Ikeja on Tuesday, said that by leveraging behavioral science, we could create environments that encourage ethical choices, enhanced transparency, and strengthened accountability for the betterment of the society.
Noting the devastating consequences of unethical practices and poor compliance culture, he averred that the built environment would fare better with the identification and application of behavioural insights in addressing notable challenges, including building collapse.
“The built environment is not just about bricks and mortar; It is about people, principles, and policies that shaped cities and communities that we all live in today,” he said.
He emphasised that untoward consequences such as building collapse, loss of lives, and economic setbacks were preventable incidents, provided that people could change their mentality about physical planning compliance and building rights.
“The theme of this workshop speaks directly to a crucial aspect of governance and professional practices; how human behaviour influences compliance and decision making as well as the overall industry integrity. It is, therefore, commendable that the workshop, as a right step in the right direction, brings together policy experts, regulators, and built environment professionals to explore practical strategies to drive sustainable, safe, and resilient urban development in Lagos State,” he said.
Also speaking, Team Leader, Policy Innovative Centre (PIC) Femi Obidare said that the goal of the group was to support the Lagos State Government policies and programme through the use of behavioural insights, having successfully supported other states through their different sectors, including education, youth, energy and procurement.
He said that focusing attention on the built environment sector of Lagos State was informed by the fact that the state was the hub of building construction and the epicentre of building collapse, given the prevalence of the menace in the state.
“To make building collapse a thing of the past in Lagos State, we will engage with professionals using behavioural insights that will evolve through five interactive sessions and a breakout session,” he said.
