Managing Director of UPDC PLC, Mr Odunayo Ojo, yesterday, called for stronger commitment by relevant stakeholders to address the skill gaps in professions.
Ojo led the call at the 7.0 summit entitled: “Building trust and driving excellence in real estate practice: global standards, local realities,” organised by the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) Lagos branch.
Speaking during a panel session, Ojo lamented the difficulty of finding the right skills in the marketplace, despite the demand for highly skilled workers among employers of labour in the country.
According to him, the development has left a huge gap locally that needs to be filled, adding that there was a need for deliberate programmes to cushion the effects.
Referencing the new policy indicating a change in the university’s requirements for arts and humanities courses, which exempted Mathematics as a prerequisite, Ojo canvassed for the consistent involvement of professionals in key policy formations.
He said local practitioners in real estate must prioritise unique practices, adapt some of the global best practices and implement them.
Associate Partner, Knight Frank Nigeria, Edith Aiyede, harped on the need to pay professionals commensurate with skills, contributions and the value they bring to organisations to avert drifting to other, more financially rewarding professions.
She stated that organisations should budget for training, build communication and management skills, and build competence to drive organisations.
Partner, Ubosi & Eleh & Co., Sanjo Fawole, said digital literacy has become a non-negotiable skill that everyone must develop, adding that technical competence, communication and collaboration skills were crucial for excellence.
He urged professionals to shun competition and collaborate.
Head, Research, Diya, Fatimilehin & Co, Tola Oyenekan, said to ensure excellence in professional practice, there should be feedback on what has been done right and ways to improve on it.
On his part, the Director, Lands Bureau, Lagos, Abolade Adeniji, noted: “Global standards/global real estate practice encompass standardisation, technology and cross-border trends that are relevant to local realities. When you try to merge the two, you may have to compromise.”
ALSO, experts, policymakers and investors in Nigeria’s built environment are calling for comprehensive policy reforms to accelerate technology adoption in the nation’s construction and infrastructure sectors.
The call comes ahead of BUILDMACEX 2026, West Africa’s largest construction exhibition holding from April 22 to 24, 2026, in Lagos.
Organised by Atlantic Exhibition Nigeria Limited, the three-day event will focus on the role of digital innovation, sustainable design, and policy harmonisation in modernising Nigeria’s infrastructure and real estate sectors.
Addressing a media briefing, Event Manager at Atlantic Exhibition, Vivian Sesi Godonuve, explained that the exhibition had evolved beyond a trade fair.
“It has become a platform for dialogue on how technology and innovation can redefine structural design and the built environment in West Africa,” she noted.
Godonuve added that the 2026 edition would prioritise discussions on green building standards, renewable energy integration, and digital construction tools, alongside live demonstrations and technical masterclasses to showcase the practical applications of emerging technologies.
