Raymond Ijeomah, the visionary founder and chief executive officer of Fortreal Rei Limited, has carved a remarkable path in Nigeria’s real estate and entrepreneurial landscape. Also serving as the lead facilitator at the Fortreal Real Estate Academy and the host of the Abuja Real Estate Conference, he represents a generation of young business leaders whose resilience, foresight, and commitment to ethical practice are redefining the future of the sector. His journey illustrates how determination and clarity of purpose can turn adversity into opportunity even in the most challenging economic conditions.
Raised in Kwale, Delta State, and trained in law at the University of Benin, Raymond was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2017. His early career as a legal practitioner appeared promising, yet two years into the profession he decided to take the boldest step of his life. He resigned from a secure position to pursue his dream of establishing Fortreal Rei Limited. It was a moment marked by uncertainty, especially after losing his savings to the NBAForex crash at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic was affecting businesses globally. With barely enough resources and a vision that refused to dim, he laid the foundation for a company that today stands as one of the most influential forces in real estate education, investment, and development.
Beyond the boardroom, Raymond is a family man devoted to his wife, Mirabel Raymond, and their child. His story of persistence, clarity of vision, and service-driven leadership has earned him recognition among The Guardian’s 100 Top Strategic CEOs of Nigeria’s Most Transformative Companies in 2025.
When asked about his vision as CEO, Raymond explains that Fortreal is built on a clear mandate driven by the TESS initiative, which stands for transformation, empowerment, sustainable wealth, and shelter. His dream for the Fortreal Real Estate Academy is to make it Africa’s leading training institution for real estate education and ethical practice. For Fortreal Rei Limited, his ambition is to build a globally recognized brand of sustainable wealth creation. Through consistent education of clients and investors, the company has bridged one of the major gaps in Nigeria’s real estate terrain: ignorance. This approach has attracted investors from over twenty countries and thousands of students from three continents.
On what makes Fortreal unique, he emphasizes impact. Through the TESS initiative (Transformation, Empowerment, Sustainable Wealth and Shelter) the company guides individuals from obscurity to relevance, empowers them with knowledge, supports them in building long-term wealth, and helps them transition from renting to homeownership. This holistic approach has shaped Fortreal into a transformational brand.
Discussing sector challenges, Raymond points to issues such as unverified titles, regulatory inconsistencies, trust deficits, and lack of professionalism. Fortreal addresses these through education, the legal expertise of its team, transparency, strong construction fundamentals, prudent financial management, and what he refers to as ruthless execution. He cites the Avana Grove project where, within four months of acquiring the land and despite the rainy season, major structural works had already reached the decking stage.
Highlighting notable achievements, he explains that in 2025 alone Fortreal Rei Limited launched four estates: Rei Ville, Fortreal Horizon, Avana Grove, and Fortreal Prime Haven. The Academy has trained thousands of professionals through specialized programs covering marketing, sales, real estate law, taxation, and regulatory compliance. The organization has also published two nationally recognized books, with a third, The Real Estate Blueprint, set for release in December 2025. Additionally, the successful Abuja Real Estate Conference and the launch of the Fortreal Real Estate Academy Alumni Association have strengthened its influence across the continent.
Looking ahead, Raymond envisions Fortreal expanding into other African countries, establishing both physical and virtual learning centers, addressing Nigeria’s housing deficit, and helping global clients build sustainable wealth through its projects and investment offerings.
Offering advice to aspiring entrepreneurs, he emphasizes the importance of starting small but starting right. He encourages a foundation built on knowledge, discipline, and integrity, urging young business owners to avoid chasing quick success but instead pursue mastery. In a world where talent often dazzles, he insists that it is consistency that ultimately produces extraordinary results.
