The Property and Environment Writers’ Association of Nigeria (PEWAN) is set to convene major stakeholders in Nigeria’s built environment sector for its 2026 Annual Lecture and Awards Day, which will address critical issues surrounding sustainable housing, facility management, and innovative building materials.

The event will hold on November 4, 2026, at the NECA House Conference Hall, Central Business District, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, commencing at 10 a.m.

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development is expected to attend as the Special Guest of Honour, while Mr. Odunayo Ojo, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of UPDC Plc, has been invited to chair the occasion.

Centred on the theme, “Re-imagining Housing: Sustainability, Facility Management and Innovative Building Materials,” the annual lecture will explore emerging solutions to Nigeria’s housing challenges. Discussions will focus on promoting sustainable construction methods, improving the management of housing assets and expanding the use of innovative building materials.

One of the key sessions will feature Mr. Lolu Alade-Akinyemi, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of HBM Nigeria Plc, who is scheduled to deliver a presentation titled “Innovative Building Materials: Place of the Private Sector.”

His presentation will examine the role businesses and private investors can play in advancing modern building solutions, raising construction standards and supporting the delivery of sustainable housing in Nigeria.

The programme will also recognise Bldr. Florence Omolola Gbaye, General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), who has been nominated to deliver a goodwill message and receive a Special Recognition Award.

PEWAN said the nomination acknowledges Gbaye’s contributions and the progress recorded by the agency since she assumed leadership. Her participation is also expected to highlight LASBCA’s initiatives towards strengthening building control and encouraging safer construction practices across Lagos State.

HBM Nigeria Plc and its chief executive, Alade-Akinyemi, have also received nominations for recognition in appreciation of their contributions to innovation within Nigeria’s building materials sub-sector.

The lecture is expected to attract a diverse audience, including built-environment professionals, environmental science lecturers, government representatives, real estate operators, non-governmental organisations, recyclers, students and other participants in the housing and construction industries.

According to PEWAN, the annual gathering is intended to encourage informed conversations about emerging developments, existing challenges and opportunities within the built environment. It also seeks to strengthen cooperation between government institutions and private-sector stakeholders.

The association expressed confidence that bringing industry leaders and professionals together would encourage practical recommendations and fresh ideas capable of improving housing delivery in Nigeria.

PEWAN serves as an umbrella organisation for journalists covering property and environmental issues across print, electronic and online media platforms.

SOURCE: Independent Newspapers (Independent)