The new NRS headquarters: More than a building, a test of national discipline

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 e...