Professional Assessment of Building Regulatory Compliance in Real Estate Developments in Abuja, FCT

Regulatory compliance in real estate development is fundamental to urban safety and orderly development, and its professional assessment in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, provides critical evidence for improving development control practice. This study assessed compliance with building regulations, development control approvals, and construction standards in 40 real estate development projects in three Abuja districts: Maitama, Wuse, and Gwarinpa, for projects completed between 2020 and 2023. Data were collected through review of building permit records at the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, physical inspection of completed developments against approved drawings, and structured interviews with 30 development control officers, architects, and developers. Compliance was assessed across six categories: zoning conformance, setback compliance, plot coverage, building height, structural adequacy, and public utility provision. Results revealed that full compliance with all six categories was achieved in only 22.5% of inspected projects. Setback violations were the most common non-compliance (present in 58% of projects), followed by plot coverage exceedances (46%) and height violations (34%). Structural documentation was incomplete in 67% of projects, precluding full structural compliance assessment. Enforcement actions were taken in only 15% of identified non-compliance cases. The study concludes that development regulatory compliance in Abuja real estate is poor and enforcement is inadequate. Recommendations include a post-completion compliance audit requirement and public disclosure of non-compliant developments by the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council.

Keywords: building regulations, regulatory compliance, real estate development, Abuja, development control