Inspection and Compliance Evaluation of Electrical Installations in High-Rise Buildings in Victoria Island, Lagos

This study evaluates the compliance of electrical installations in high-rise commercial and residential buildings in Victoria Island, Lagos State, South West Nigeria with the Nigerian Electricity Supply and Installation Conditions Regulations and the IEC 60364 wiring regulations. High-rise buildings present elevated electrical safety risks due to the complexity of their electrical systems, high occupant density, and potential for fire spread through multiple floors. Compliance inspections were conducted in 10 buildings above 10 storeys in Victoria Island using a structured inspection checklist derived from the NESICR and IEC 60364 Part 6 requirements. Inspections covered protective conductor continuity, insulation resistance, earth fault loop impedance, residual current device operation, polarity verification, and visual inspection of cable containment, switchgear labelling, and fire stopping at cable penetrations. Test results were compared against the regulatory acceptance criteria. Findings reveal that 7 of the 10 buildings have one or more earth fault loop impedance readings that exceed the maximum value required to achieve disconnection within the required time under a fault condition, potentially exposing occupants to electric shock risk. Residual current devices in three buildings failed the functional test. Cable fire stopping at floor penetrations is absent or inadequate in six buildings. Visual inspection identifies unlabelled distribution boards in multiple buildings, creating maintenance safety hazards. The study recommends that the Lagos State Electricity Board enforce mandatory periodic inspection and certification of high-rise building electrical installations at five-year intervals. Keywords: electrical installation inspection, high-rise building, compliance, wiring regulations, Lagos.