By Maduka Nweke
Stakeholders in the real estate industry will on September 20, gather at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos to chart a new course for the built industry. The stakeholders under the platform, ‘2017 Nigeria Real Estate Summit’ will brainstorm to deepen on-going discussions, stimulate measurable actions and provide the most inclusive and sweeping answers to the housing issues in Nigeria.
Making the statement, Mr. Ike Steve, the Event Director stated that the Nigeria Real Estate Summit and Expo (NIRESE), will gather the most influential real estate players, industry professionals and policy makers for two days of expert-led conferences and tailored networking events to learn, share, discuss and chart a new path for the Nigerian real estate industry.
He said, “To address the impact of the geopolitical, economic and societal challenges facing the real estate industry and create new sources of growth, stakeholders need to adapt and rethink their strategies by collaborating with fellow players and creating new forms of philosophies. The NIRESE Summit is designed to offer insights, inspiration and solution-oriented tools to turn these philosophies into actions.
“The theme of the summit is “Collaborating, innovating and growing to achieve adequate and affordable housing delivery in Nigeria”. The summit will therefore set out to proffer clear, sustainable, realistic and strategic blueprint to achieve this objective.
“Stakeholders, during the sessions, would deliberate on five key issues namely land, infrastructure, housing finance, policy and strategy, and technology. The summit will cover current burning issues affecting the industry. Theses will include challenges associated with fluctuations in the economy which, in turn, contribute to cycles of sensitive developments in real estate. The Real Estate Summit will also analyze supply and demand as the local economy and growing population drives land expansion.
“In line with the change mantra of the present administration to robustly pursue infrastructural development and address housing needs of Nigerians, the summit will convene a sub-forum that would also deliberate on how to increase and improve housing infrastructures,”Ike said.
According to him, the Summit will delve in into the opportunities in housing delivery and will allow delegates to be wholly updated on the market by some of the most senior experts in the sector. The Summit will look at the roles and opportunities for all players in the market, including investors, developers, financiers, government, development agencies and their related advisers, whilst networking with the leading professionals in housing from across the country.
Ike noted that one of the key objectives of the summit will be to bring together housing practitioners and leading policy makers from the private and public sector to discuss issues of housing finance facing the sector.
He noted that the housing finance focus at the summit would be structured around key subject matters ranging from the possibilities of public-private partnerships to unlocking hidden potential, to the challenges of funding the mortgage portfolio, the opportunities to be found in rental housing and housing microfinance, and the strategies to address the challenge of affordability.
“With an agenda structured around presentations in plenary and panel discussions, as well as a housing marketplace to support focused conversations between investors and projects, the summit will attract stakeholders from across the country, all with the express purpose of furthering investment in affordable housing, “he said.
Ike said that the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola will lead a number of high powered policy makers and experts at the event. “Policy makers, investors, professionals in the built industry, banking institutions and the Capital Market players will form part of discussants at the summit,’’ the statement said.
The Nigeria Real Estate Summit and Expo will offer stakeholders a platform for discussing and sharing experiences, and deliberating towards innovative interventions to support the growth of the nation’s economy through the development of a vibrant housing sector. The summit is expected to generate actionable recommendations that will transform the housing landscape and create new opportunities across the country.
Aside from the national conference, the summit will feature an exhibition show that will provide opportunity for property developers and other service providers in the industry to showcase existing housing stock, building materials and new construction technologies.
The summit will co-host five powerful sub-events including the Nigerian Women in Real Estate Forum, The Digital Real Estate Forum, The Smart Building Expo and the Nigeria Real Estate Awards. According to Ike, over 60 of Nigeria’s leading organizations within the industry have already signed up for the event which will feature over 40 speakers, 12 plenary Sessions, master Classes and break away sessions.
The summit will witness 400 delegates, over 2,500 investment-ready visitors, 200 C-level Executives,more than 100 top government functionaries, in addition to the over N20 billion real estate deals expected to be struck over the 2-day event.