Media Narratives and Sustainable Development: Newspaper Framing of Recurrent Building Collapses in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Nigeria’s pursuit of sustainable cities, as outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11, is severely undermined by recurrent building collapses, which have resulted in significant loss of lives, economic setbacks, and displacement of families. This study examines how select Nigerian newspapers. The Guardian and Punch framed building collapse incidents in 2021, a year marked by notable disasters, including the collapse of a 21-story skyscraper in Lagos. The study adopted content analysis as a method and analyzed 252 editions of the newspapers, focusing on journalistic genres, framing patterns, and sources of reporting. Findings revealed that straight news stories dominated coverage (58%), while investigative and editorial pieces were minimal. Six frames were identified, with the "death frame" being the most prevalent (32%), followed by the "economic frame" (20%). Reporters' analysis served as the primary source (53%), with limited reliance on interviews or stakeholder perspectives. The study highlights a critical gap in solution-oriented reporting, as newspapers predominantly emphasised the tragic outcomes rather than preventive measures or policy recommendations. To foster public awareness and proactive responses, the study recommends that Nigerian media adopt a more balanced approach, incorporating solution-based and rescue frames. This shift could better align media reporting with the broader goal of achieving sustainable urban development and reducing building collapse incidents in Nigeria.