A Professor of Structural and Material Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering at Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, Prof. Samson Olalekan Odeyemi, has urged the Federal Government to introduce policies requiring construction projects in Nigeria to incorporate a minimum level of recycled or sustainable materials.

Prof. Odeyemi made the call while delivering the university's 22nd Inaugural Lecture, titled "From Rubble to Resilience: Gathering the Fragments for a New Structural Paradigm." He said such a policy would lay the foundation for a new era of building construction in Nigeria, where structures are designed for greater strength, resilience and environmental sustainability.

The professor identified agricultural waste products, including rice husk ash, corn cob ash, sugarcane bagasse ash and palm oil fuel ash, as valuable resources that can be transformed into high-performance engineering materials.

Although these materials are not primary binders, he explained that they possess pozzolanic properties that react during cement hydration to produce additional strength-enhancing compounds.

He stressed the need for Nigeria to reduce its dependence on conventional cement by embracing a circular economy that promotes the use of locally sourced waste materials in the construction industry.

According to him, supportive legislation and industry policies would encourage the integration of these materials into building projects, reduce environmental pollution and lower construction costs.

"Research has demonstrated that concrete produced with agricultural waste-derived materials can meet and even exceed conventional technical standards while providing a more cost-effective and sustainable alternative for infrastructure development," he said.

Highlighting the practical application of the research, Prof. Odeyemi pointed to the interlocking paving stones at the entrance of the KWASU Faculty of Engineering, which were produced using rice husk ash and locally sourced fibres, demonstrating that the innovation has moved beyond the laboratory into real-world use.

He also described Nigeria's construction industry as one where standards are often influenced by market forces, stressing the need to protect the sector from excessive dependence on imported construction materials and the environmental impact associated with carbon-intensive cement production.

To reduce incidents of building collapse caused by substandard and unregulated construction practices, Prof. Odeyemi urged government agencies, including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), to ensure that only certified building materials are available in the market.

He reaffirmed that adopting sustainable construction materials derived from agricultural waste would improve the durability and resilience of infrastructure, promote environmental conservation, stimulate local industries and support Nigeria's drive towards sustainable development.