NIQS President QS Kene Nzekwe addressing journalists in Abuja ahead of the institute’s Biennial General Meeting and National Conference.
The President of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), QS Kene Nzekwe, has called for bold fiscal reforms, transparent governance, and strict professional standards to drive Nigeria’s infrastructural renewal and sustainable national development.
Speaking to Journalists, ahead of the institute’s Biennial General Meeting and National Conference scheduled to hold in Abuja from 19th to 22nd November, Nzekwe said the event will bring together policymakers, industry professionals, and academics to chart a practical roadmap for economic recovery and efficient infrastructure delivery.
“Rebuilding Nigeria requires fiscal discipline, transparency, and the right professionals managing public projects,” Nzekwe stated. “Quantity surveyors play a central role in ensuring value for money and curbing waste across the built environment.”
The conference, themed “Rebuilding Nigeria: Enhancing National Development Through Fiscal Reforms, Infrastructure Planning, and the New Governance Imperative”, seeks to address how cost management, value engineering, and ethical governance can restore efficiency in public works.
Nzekwe praised the Federal Government’s ongoing fiscal reforms, especially the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, which aims to simplify the tax system, harmonise multiple tax laws, and promote accountability.
READ ALSO: NIQS Unveils MG RX8 to Drive Professionalism in Construction Sector
He emphasised the importance of understanding the Nigerian Tax Act 2025 and the National Urban Development Policy 2025–2035, describing them as “critical blueprints for sustainable infrastructure planning and economic stability.”
“Inefficient infrastructure spending has long drained the national treasury,” he noted. “Our expertise in strategic cost planning and project governance is the antidote. Every Naira spent must deliver measurable value to citizens.”
The NIQS president, however, lamented the absence of a standardised national building code, warning that lack of regulation allows unqualified practitioners to encroach on professional roles, leading to waste and substandard projects.
“You can’t assign cost management to someone without the right training,” he said. “When unqualified individuals handle technical projects, public resources are at risk.”
Nzekwe further called for legislation to regulate rental pricing and promote local content in the housing sector, linking the rise in rent to inflation, currency devaluation, and policy instability.
He urged the government to strengthen fiscal discipline and accountability across all sectors, stressing that public officers must lead by example in demonstrating transparency and prudent spending.
“Fiscal reforms must touch every sphere of national life,” Nzekwe concluded. “With stronger governance, Nigeria can build infrastructure that is not only cost-effective but built to last.”
About the Author
1 thought on “NIQS Urges Strict Professional standards to Drive Nigeria’s Infrastructure”