Surveyors institute plans blueprint for housing estates’ maintenance

The Chairman of the Nigeria Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, Victor Alonge, has said that the institute is developing a blueprint for effective maintenance of housing estates and infrastructure across the country

Alonge announced this during the second statutory meeting of the council in the 2024-25 council year held in Abuja on Saturday.

NIESV, established in 1969, is a professional organisation responsible for regulating estate surveying and valuation practices in Nigeria, setting standards, conducting exams, and promoting the profession.
The chairman also announced that the institute is working on developing a blueprint for effective maintenance of housing estates and infrastructure in Lagos State and beyond.

This initiative is in response to the concerns raised by the Commissioner for Housing in Lagos State, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai
and the state governor, Babajide Sanwolu.

“We must be creative and proactive in driving transformational changes in our profession. We must also be strategic in thinking and taking critical decisions to enhance our objectives,” he said.

The blueprint is expected to provide a roadmap for the effective maintenance of housing estates and infrastructure, addressing the challenges facing the real estate industry in Nigeria.

He noted that the council has a critical role to play in influencing policy formulation and implementation, particularly in the areas of real estate and economic development.

“We will no longer operate from the back seats. Government policies have a direct impact on the dynamics of the real estate business and our profession as well as playing a pivotal role in shaping societies and economies by providing frameworks for regulation, service, and governance.

“Henceforth, we must play critical roles in influencing the formulation and implementation of policies which have a direct bearing on our profession.

“That is a goal we must be fully committed to. We must do all we have to do and with all influence, capability, contacts and energy that we can muster to make our profession great, great, acceptable and known by all in Nigeria,” he said.

Alonge urged council members to come up with initiatives on job creation, stressing that leadership is about having the vision and conviction to achieve dreams. He expressed optimism that the institution will make a significant impact on the nation and the profession.

“We must be creative and proactive in driving transformational changes in our profession. We must also be strategic in thinking and making critical decisions that will enhance our objectives.

“The economic situation has been challenging. We have seen very low levels of activities, especially in our industry, in our sector, and when there are no or no activities, we don’t earn fees or we earn low fees. Don’t forget that as professionals, estate surveyors and valuers, inclusive live on fees.

“We must have government and our clients to create jobs. And that is what we are working on as an institution now,” he stated.