The Nigerian Institute of Architects has called on President Tinubu to implement Executive Order 5 to arrest the rising cost of building materials, which is affecting the growth of the construction sector.

President of the institute, Arc. Mobolaji Adeniyi, made the disclosure in Abuja on Wednesday at a press conference where it raised concerns on the prevailing situation.

The institute noted that there is an urgent need for an executive order to arrest the situation while discouraging unnecessary imports.

"We encourage all government agencies to curb its excessive appetite for foreign goods and services. We specifically request that the "Presidential Executive Order for Planning and Execution of Projects, Promotion of Nigerian Content in Contracts, and Science, Engineering and Technology, (Executive Order 5) which was signed into law on February 2, 2018 be dutifully implemented.

"As a matter of urgency, we should prioritise the use of local materials in project design and delivery. As professionals, we owe our country the onerous duty of providing solutions to seemingly daunting technical challenges. This should be our primary calling as professionals in this era of economic gloom. The challenges may seem very daunting but not insurmountable," Adeniyi said.

She added that the sector serves as a viable employer of labour and called for dedicated electricity supply to industrial hubs.