UYO, Nigeria — A construction worker has died after falling from the top floor of a 13-storey building under construction at the Ibom Tropicana Hotel project in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
The victim was a contract worker with Ratcom Construction Company, one of the firms involved in the project. The incident occurred on Friday and has thrown workers at the site and residents of the area into mourning.
Details of what led to the fall were still unclear at the time of reporting. It was not immediately confirmed whether the worker was wearing safety equipment, whether there were guardrails or fall-protection systems at the height where he was working, or whether site supervisors had opened an internal investigation.
The Akwa Ibom State Government and project handlers had not issued a detailed public statement on the incident at the time of this report. Authorities are expected to examine whether workplace safety procedures were followed and whether the construction site complied with relevant occupational health and building regulations.
The tragedy has renewed concerns about safety standards at construction sites, especially on high-rise projects where workers are exposed to serious risks from falls, falling materials and unstable work platforms. Labour and safety experts have repeatedly called for stricter enforcement of safety rules, compulsory use of harnesses, helmets and protective gear, and regular inspection of scaffolding and elevated work areas.
The Ibom Tropicana Hotel project is part of a wider hospitality and tourism development in Uyo, and the latest incident may increase pressure on contractors and regulators to review safety practices at the site before work continues fully.
Construction work remains one of the most dangerous sectors in Nigeria, with accidents often linked to poor supervision, inadequate protective equipment, weak enforcement and pressure to meet project deadlines. In many cases, injured workers or families of deceased labourers struggle to obtain compensation, especially where employment arrangements are informal or handled through subcontractors.
Residents and workers at the site have called for a transparent investigation into the death and proper support for the victim’s family.
The incident also highlights the need for clearer accountability between project owners, contractors and regulators. Safety advocates say major building projects should not only meet structural standards but also provide strong protection for workers whose labour makes such developments possible.
