The Construction Industry wide reforms being pursued by the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) received a boost at the just concluded 23rd Congress of the    Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors (PAQS) in Malaysia where delegates from across the globe extolled the high standards of Nigerian Quantity Surveyors, a gesture which culminated in the signing of an MOU between the NIQS and the Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (CIQS).

President of the NIQS, QS Obafemi Onashile, FNIQS who made the disclosure in Abuja said the Reciprocity Agreement/ Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which is aimed at enhancing professional collaboration and training exchange in various aspects of the profession was signed on the sidelines of the 23rd Congress of the Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors (PAQS) which held in Malaysia from August 23rd – Aug 27th, 2019.

Onashile said the signing of the reciprocity agreement is part of the current strategic reforms that the NIQS is undergoing as part of its contribution towards the growth of the Nigerian Construction Industry.

He said with the endorsement by international QS institutions across the globe, NIQS was now at par with global standards and its members now acceptable for employment anywhere in the world.

According to him, apart from Corporate Members or Fellows of the NIQS becoming members of CIQS and vice versa, there will also be opportunities for close collaboration on issues that bother on the profession as well as opportunities for training exchange between the two  professional bodies.    

“This reciprocity agreement/MOU aims at co-prosperity, the prosperity of the two bodies; the NIQS and the CIQS. The two bodies are working to leverage on our competences for mutual benefits. This include the opportunity for training exchange between the two countries,” Onashile said.

The NIQS President then called on other professions in the Construction Industry to seek global benchmarking as a way of ensuring best practices in the Industry.

Onashile said for the professions in the nation’s Construction Industry to make the desired impact in delivering projects, professionals must constantly benchmark what obtains in the country with what obtains in other climes.

While acknowledging the conscious efforts being made by the respective professional bodies towards Continuing Professional Development of their members, the NIQS President urged all the professional bodies in the industry to subject themselves to global standards test as a sure way of improving the capacities of members of their professions.

“By embarking on regular international benchmarking, professional bodies will be better able to boost the productivity of their members, streamline their project management skills as well as enhance quality and safety on projects,” Onashile said.

In his remarks during the MOU signing ceremony, the Chairman of the Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (CIQS), Mr. David Books noted that his institute and the NIQS shared many things in common including anniversary and membership assessment pathways, emphasizing that the NIQS maintained a very high standard of ethics.      

“The execution of this reciprocity agreement cannot come at a better time than now when the Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (CIQS) just celebrated her 60th anniversary in July in parallel to the upcoming anniversary celebration of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) billed for October “, Books said.

According to him, with the signing of the reciprocity agreement, the CIQS and NIQS can now facilitate training exchange opportunities for corporate Members and Fellows of both institutes.

“The benefits for the two Institutes include an increased capacity to operate at an international level, improved projects management methods, increased ability to prepare, manage, and follow-up on projects, as well as a more attractive portfolio of opportunities for new Members and Fellows of each of the Institutes,” David Books explained.