Minister Charges Quantity Surveyors On Upholding Cost, Procurement Transparency

Minister of housing and urban development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa has charged Quantity Surveyors to intensify efforts in upholding cost integrity and procurement transparency in order to achieve better value for money and effective funding of public construction projects.

The minister who made the call, yesterday, at the occasion of the 2025 Nigeria Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) Biennial General Meeting and conference, held in Abuja also charged the institute on giving accurate structure to budgets, upholding the credibility of contracts and providing confidence in project delivery.

Dangiwa said Nigeria is navigating a period of economic transition where fiscal reforms and infrastructure needs are accelerating. He noted that the nation expect stronger transparency and better value for public funds adding that the NIQS sits right at the center of these expectations.

While emphasising that the work of quantity surveyors becomes even more essential especially in the federal governments quest to provide affordable housing to Nigerians, the minister welcomed the direct participation of the NIQS.

“Our National Urban Renewal and Slum Upgrade Program, now active in 150 locations, require your guidance to ensure that designs, materials, costs are efficient, realistic and accountable. Likewise, the National Land Title Registration and Documentation Program we are pursuing need the structured valuation and cost discipline that quantity surveyors naturally provide. Without it, land reforms cannot stand on a credible foundation”.

“You are the ones who uphold cost integrity, you ensure value for money and also strengthen procurement transparency. So no national development effort can succeed without the discipline, the checks and balances and professional judgment that county surveyors provide. You give structure to budgets, credibility to contracts and confidence to project delivery”, the minister said.

He further stated that the ministry’s plan to establish a building material manufacturing house in all the cities or zones of the country aims to reduce construction costs, deepen local content and stabilize supply chains. He acknowledged the role quantity surveyors will play by providing cost analysis, market behavior and even value engineering.

While also assuring that together, the ministry and the NIQS can strengthen a construction industry that is built on transparency, affordability and accountability, Dangiwa lauded that transparency, accountability, effective and efficient public spending and high-quality infrastructure delivery are qualities that mirrors the core values of the quantity surveyor.

Earlier the president of NIQS who will be ending his tenure this week, QS Kene Christopher Nzekwe warned that the Nigerian economy has been characterized by uncertainty, volatility, and turbulence in recent years.

He emphasised that the country stands at a critical juncture, seeking to diversify its economy, improve infrastructure, and enhance governance. He explained that as quantity surveyors, they play a pivotal role in shaping the built environment and driving national development.

QS Nzekwe revealed that fiscal reforms are crucial for Nigeria’s economic growth and added that their expertise in cost management, procurement, and project delivery can promote transparency, accountability, and value for money in public spending.

“Infrastructure planning is vital for Nigeria’s development. Our skills can help deliver quality infrastructure, stimulate economic growth, and improve living standards. Therefore, relating the new governance imperative with fiscal reforms and infrastructure planning requires innovative approaches from professionals with the view to promote best practices and sustainable development”, he stated.