The Kogi State branch of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) has called on government at all levels to engage registered Estate Surveyors and Valuers from the earliest stages of planning, warning that sidelining professionals leads to costly delays, disputes and project overruns.
Chairman of NIESV, Kogi State Branch, ESV John Oluwayinka Eniwaiye, made the call at a press briefing to formally kick off the 2026 Estate Valuers Week, held at the Confluence Motel Hall, opposite St. Luke UBE, Adankolo, Lokoja, on Monday.
Speaking under the theme “Governance in Value, Growth in Synergy,” Eniwaiye told journalists and stakeholders that the week-long programme was designed to reposition the role of Estate Surveyors and Valuers in the development of Kogi State, stressing that good governance must create value, while value properly measured and managed is what drives growth.
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According to him, Kogi State is at a turning point, blessed with land for agriculture and industry, urban centres in need of renewal, and infrastructure projects requiring proper planning, funding and asset management.
He noted, however, that policy alone cannot deliver these outcomes, insisting that “practice must meet policy,” a gap he said Estate Surveyors and Valuers are professionally positioned to bridge through data, valuation, feasibility studies and asset management expertise.
Four Pillars of the Week
Eniwaiye announced a week of activities, including public education, training for members, and dialogue with government agencies.
The activities according to him include; strategic visit on Tuesday to the Director General, Bureaucracy of Lands a d Maigari of Lokoja, while Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (MCPD) as well as Award and on Thursday.
Other activities Special Jumaat Prayers at the Government House Mosque on Friday, while Aerobic activities and novelty match as well as special prayer and thanksgiving service at the Government House Chapel on Saturday and Sunday respectively.
Eniwaiye, who spelt out expectations for each stakeholder group, said Government must go beyond approving projects to ensuring registered valuers are involved from inception, which he argued strengthens transparency and builds public trust.
Estate Surveyors and Valuers, on their part, were urged to continue providing evidence-based advice on land use, guiding taxation, acquisitions and feasibility studies.
He also called on developers and investors to work within approved plans and professional valuations to reduce risk, while urging traditional institutions and communities to support proper land documentation and dispute resolution.
The general public, he added, must be made to understand their land rights and obligations, so that land is seen not merely as heritage but as a source of wealth creation.
Proposed Development Advisory Forum
A key highlight of the briefing was NIESV’s proposal for the establishment of a Kogi State Development Advisory Forum on Land and Assets, alongside a call for the inclusion of registered Estate Valuers on the governing boards of all land-related MDAs in the state.
Eniwaiye explained that the forum, meeting quarterly, would bring together government, NIESV, developers and communities to review policies, align projects with professional standards, and track implementation for accountability.
He rounded off his address with a direct call to action — urging government to engage professionals early to avoid waste, urging NIESV members to uphold the institution’s watchword of “Honesty and Devotion,” and urging stakeholders across board to partner with the institution in building a stronger, more prosperous Kogi State.
The NIESV chairman invited the media to cover activities throughout the week and encouraged all stakeholders to join the ongoing conversations around land governance in the state.
