The Sector Skills Council for Building in Nigeria (SSCBiN) has called for partnerships with professional bodies and industry stakeholders to formalise workforce training and certification in the building and construction sector.

Speaking on the theme, “The Next Frontier in Real Estate: Innovating for Sustainable Development and Inclusive Growth,” at the 20th anniversary symposium of the Abuja Property Development Company Limited (APDC), the council’s President, Dr Samson Opaluwah, said the initiative would provide practical training and promote the employment of certified and skilled construction professionals.

Opaluwah, a former Chairman of the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), said Nigeria needed to move beyond traditional approaches to building and real estate management amid rapid urbanisation, population growth and economic pressures.

He identified three pillars for the future of real estate: innovation and sustainable construction technologies, human capital development and standardisation of construction skills, and inclusive growth through affordable housing.

He urged stakeholders to adopt climate-resilient designs, energy-efficient building systems and green building materials, stressing that sustainability was no longer a luxury or marketing buzzword but an economic and environmental imperative.

“A building is only as good as the hands that build it. The next frontier in real estate requires an uncompromising commitment to skilled workmanship, professional standards and quality assurance,” he said.

Opaluwah called for the implementation of the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), including National Occupational Standards (NOS), recognition of prior learning (RPL) and certification of informal construction workers.

He said builders, technologists, technicians and artisans involved in construction projects must meet recognised standards of competence and safety. “APDC must lead the way in prioritising certified, skilled manpower across all its supply chains,” he added.

The SSCBiN president said sustainable development would be meaningless if it excluded the majority of Nigerians, stressing the need for housing solutions that catered to middle- and low-income earners as well as the premium market.

He advocated innovative financing, efficient land use and public-private partnerships (PPPs) to make homeownership more accessible.

To unlock real estate’s potential as an engine of inclusive economic growth, Opaluwah said PPPs must evolve beyond transactional arrangements into strategic frameworks that reduce investment risks and attract long-term financing.

He identified key policy interventions, including reducing the risks associated with land acquisition and titling, introducing infrastructure-for-equity frameworks, and incentivising financial institutions and pension fund administrators to invest patient capital in real estate development.

Opaluwah also called for mandatory inclusionary zoning and mixed-income requirements in affordable housing schemes. “Every PPP agreement involving public asset concessions or government land must explicitly enforce compliance with the Nigerian National Building Code and mandate the deployment of registered professionals and certified construction artisans (NSQF/SSCBiN standards) to eliminate structural failures and safeguard public assets,” he said.

He urged APDC to build on its reputation by helping to reshape the real estate market through green and smart communities, including residential estates in the Federal Capital Territory designed to achieve carbon neutrality and energy independence.

He also advocated the development of major housing complexes for commercial, industrial, hospitality and recreational purposes, alongside more multi-family residential projects.

Expanding the supply of high-rise apartment buildings, he said, could address the growing demand for inner-city accommodation in Abuja. He further urged APDC to extend its property development and facilities management standards beyond the FCT to other states, particularly communities bordering the capital.