By: Tijani Salako.

The Nigerian Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Lagos State branch, has warned the public about the growing threat of quackery in the built environment, reaffirming ethics as the core foundation of the profession.

The Lagos State Chairman of NIESV, Mr. Tosin Kadiri, disclosed this in an interview, where he expressed concern over the increasing rate of quackery in Nigeria’s real estate sector. He emphasized that ethics remains the bedrock of estate surveying and valuation practice, particularly within the institute.

According to him, ethics serves as a guiding principle that compels practitioners to act in the best interest of their clients, even when personal interests are involved.

While illustrating a scenario, he cited conflict of interest as a common ethical challenge, explaining that if a professional managing a property develops an interest in purchasing it, full disclosure must be made to the owner, and the valuation must be conducted independently to avoid bias.

“Ethics defines the dos and don’ts of the profession. It is what makes society trust us and depend on our professional advice,” he said.

The NIESV chairman identified quackery as a major threat to public confidence in the sector, noting that the institute is addressing the issue from both internal and external fronts.

Internally, he stated that the body is encouraging estate management graduates to complete their professional examinations and obtain proper registration before practising. He stressed that anyone who practises without being duly registered and licensed is operating illegally, regardless of academic qualifications.

Externally, the institute has intensified advocacy and public awareness campaigns to educate Nigerians on the importance of engaging certified professionals. He warned that quacks operate without regulatory oversight, leaving clients with no avenue for redress in cases of misconduct.

He added that the institute is collaborating with relevant government agencies to strengthen the enforcement of existing laws aimed at sanitising the real estate sector.