June 19, 2026
Nigeria has a construction culture problem, but an even bigger maintenance culture problem.
For over two decades, the headquarters of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) remained a dream delayed. Twenty-two years after its conception, the building is finally a reality. While this achievement deserves commendation, the bigger question is not how long it took to build; it is whether Nigeria can properly maintain it for the next twenty-two years.
Historically, Nigerians celebrate commissioning ceremonies with enthusiasm but pay little attention to preservation. We are excellent at cutting ribbons but often poor at protecting what those ribbons represent. Across the country, many public edifices that once symbolized progress have gradually become monuments of neglect due to poor maintenance culture.
Maintenance is not merely about repairing broken elevators, replacing damaged furniture, or repainting faded walls. It is a mindset that recognises public infrastructure as a collective national asset rather than government property without owners. The moment we stop seeing these structures as “government buildings” and start seeing them as “our buildings,” our attitude towards preservation will begin to change.
