Gabriel Enenche —
According to experts from the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC), the real estate and construction sectors will champion the recovery trend of the Nigeria economy. This follows a unanimously conclusion by the body, with reference to indices of recent past.
They say that the Construction and Real Estate Group of the Nigerian- British Chamber of Commerce this week dissected the prospects of Nigeria’s Construction and Real Estate sectors, following an extended period of contraction.
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The President and Chairman of Council of the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce, Mrs Bisi Adeyemi, while welcoming delegates to the event, titled ‘Nigerian Economic Outlook 2022: Intersection with the Real Estate Sector- Top Real Estate Trends to Watch’, said that the Real Estate Sector has been tagged as a major contributor to the country’s economic growth this year.
“The major objective of this event is to examine the opportunities, challenges and indeed the threats in the real estate sector in 2022, she stated.
“The Real Estate Sector showed positive GDP growth in 2021 and has been identified as one of the sectors to look out for this year. We have assembled distinguished subject matter experts that will ensure we all leave here better informed”, she added.
Guest Speaker and Founder/ CEO of RTC Advisory Services Ltd, Mr Opeyemi Agbaje, noted that the country’s Real Estate and Construction sectors have seen four quarters of recovery, and will provide critical opportunities for economic growth, given the right policies and improved security, despite the cumulative effect of high inflationary trends and high-interest rates.
“We cannot ignore the obvious effect of inflation, foreign exchange challenges, insecurity and high unemployment rates, but Nigeria’s economic fundamentals remain strong and the Real Estate sector now represents an opportunity for steady growth and expansion. It will be a key driver for the country’s recovery alongside the Agriculture, Agribusiness, Agric Technology, Healthcare and FinTech sectors” Agbaje said.
Setting his sights on the 15th major trends to watch in the Construction & Real Estate sectors, the Chairman of the NBCC Construction and Real Estate Group, Mr Hakeem Ogunniran, observed that real estate thrives on the back of strong macroeconomic fundamentals and the 25% homeownership rate in Nigeria reflects the challenging operating environment. Nevertheless, there are certain trends in the sector that will bear watching in 2022, he declared.
“There will be regulatory and compliance intensity, with heightened title uncertainty in high profile locations. However, technology can be expected to take centre stage in the sector this year, with extremely strong growth prospects for growth in comfort homes, led by demand from first time home buyers, millennials, young families and empty nesters” he added.
Reinforcing Ogunniran’s thoughts on the emergence of increased regulatory oversight in the Real Estate sector, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Housing, Ms Toke Benson-Awoyinka, harped on the need to curb fraudulent practices and emphasized the State Government’s commitment to sanitizing the industry.
