Road Map To Nigeria Institute Of Quantity Surveyor’s (NIQS) Professional Certification By Afolabi Olatide

The process involved to be a full-fledge registered quantity surveyor is very tedious, tasking and financially demanding however, it is very simple and easy provided you are determined.

Personal conviction with determination becomes our reality.

The process is structured into Six (6) categories namely;

1. Registration (pre- membership number)
2. Filling of professional logbook
3. NIQS Professional Examination
4. Professional Competency Interview (PCI)
5. QSRBN Interview
6. Induction

Base on the above, each category is explicitly explained thus

1. REGISTRATION:(Pre- membership number)

The route to become a professional quantity surveyor start with registering with the institute, the registration segment is divided into two parts, namely

1. Registration as a student’s member: registration as a student’s member during undergraduate days is the best for any prospective quantity surveyor’s as it afford them avenue for growth, capacity building and development, access to Nigeria institute of quantity surveyor archives of knowledge such as journals, cost data bank, subsidize conference fee, certificate etc. The following are the step to register as a student’s members.

• Determination
• Log on to niqs.org.ng (download the studentship form)
• Fill the appropriate section of the form and attached academic document
• Give the head of department to fill the appropriate section and append their signature on the documents
• Pay a sum of three thousand naira (3000) to NIQS account number (the dues may vary with time)
• Nigeria institute of quantity surveyor: account number (0010899819, GTB)
• Submit document to NIQS secretariat (House no 84, 4^th avenue, Sa’adu Zungur avenue Gwarinpa, P.O box 10689 Garki Abuja) or (17/19 Idowu Tylor Street,

Victoria island Lagos State

• Attend conference for professional development and capacity building.
• A sum of ten thousand naira is paid for upgrade to probationer members after undergraduate days

1. Registration as a graduate member: peradventure a prospective quantity surveyor is not able to register during the undergraduate days, such person can still do the needful after tertiary institution. The following steps should be followed.
   • Determination
   • Log on to niqs.org.ng (download the probationer form)
   • Fill the appropriate section of the form and attached academic documents
   • Get two (2) financially up to date member to act as referee and sign the appropriate section of the form and your academic document
   • Submit to chapter chairman (State chapter chairman) to append his signature, after payment of state registration due and annual dues
   • Pay a sum of ten thousand naira to NIQS account state above and attached evidence of payment to your document. (the dues may vary with time)
   • Submit document to NIQS secretariat (House no 84, 4^th avenue, Sa’adu Zungur Avenue Gwarinpa, po box 10689 Garki Abuja) or (17/19 Idowu Tylor street,

Victoria island Lagosstate

• Attend conference for professional development and capacity building.

2. FILLING OF LOG BOOK: Filling of professional log book is the second stage after successful registration as a probationer member. This stage commences within a year of gainful employment in a construction firm. Howbeit a quantity surveying graduate serving in a construction company during nation youth service (NYSC) can use the service year as stage one of their log book provided they’ve fulfilled the registration procedure stated earlier. The filling of log book are into three phases i.e. logbook one, two and three in which a log book can only be submitted in a calendar year. The professional logbook is to monitor our professional experience gained in a year so as to assess our professional development.

The following process are involved in successful filling of logbook

• Collection of logbooks from the institute secretariat
• Get a supervisor of nothing less than 5year post MINQS and financially up to date to supervise your development and filling of log book during a calendar year
• Submit an acceptance letter issue by the supervisor to the secretariat
• Fill logbook and diary on day to day activities with guideline and direction from your supervisor
• Write a report base on the experience gained within the calendar year with input from supervisor and submit to the institute (hardcopy of report, logbook and diary and a soft copy of report burn into a disc)
• Pay a sum of three thousand naira to the institute account for assessment of log book (the dues may vary with time)
• If you are successful, proceed to logbook two and three (following the same procedures)
• If you are to represent (follow the same procedures)

3. NIQS PROFESSIONAL EXAMINATION: The professional examination is structured into two stages, which are Graduate Examination (GDE) and Test of Professional

Competency (TPC), Owing to the recent changes in NIQS examination guideline,

1. Graduate Examination (GDE):The first stage of the NIQS examination is the graduate examination which is basically for holder of higher national diploma in quantity surveying profession who have successfully register with the institute and have passed the logbook one of the NIQS. However, an HND Holder with additional qualifications such as post graduate diploma does not need to write the graduate examination but proceed to write the test of professional competency examination provided such person as passed the long book one and two of the Nigeria institute of quantity surveyors.
2. Test of Professional Competency Examination: The test of professional competency examination is for both holders of higher national diploma who have successfully passed the logbook two and graduate examination and bachelor of science holder who has successfully passed the log book two.

The following are the procedure for writing GDE examination.

• Log on to niqs.org.ng/onlineapplication
• Click the examination section (select the appropriate examination)
• Pay a sum of forty thousand naira (40,000) to NIQS account as examination fee (the dues may vary with time)
• Fill the appropriate section and print out (attach necessary document and evidence of payment such as Two 2 Recent Passport Sized Photographs, O’Level Certificate (Not Statement of Result), Copy of Graduate Level Certificates (compulsory)/Postgraduate Certificates (where applicable) ,Membership Certificate of other professional bodies Evidences of Logbooks/Diaries Assessments stages 1 & 2 Passed, Evidence of GDE Result passed (where applicable) ,Evidence of confirmed online payment of the examination fee.
• Get a sponsor who is financially up to date to fill their portion
• Submit to chapter chairman to fill their portion
• Attend mandatory refresher course
• Attend seminar for continuing professional development (necessary)
• More details on NIQS examination guidelines and procedures

Note

• Candidates applying for this examination must have a minimum of two years’ experience after graduation (NYSC Service Year inclusive), completed and passed Logbook/Diary Assessment Stage 2.
• The Examination will be set on the basis of the syllabi published by the Institute and the applicant is expected to familiarize himself/herself with them.

4. PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY INTERVIEW (PCI): The professional competency interview set out to evaluate and examine the development of prospective quantity surveyor. Prospective quantity surveyors are evaluated base on their Knowledge of the quantity surveying profession, current affairs in the country and sport as the case may be.

The following are the procedure involved

• Log on to niqs.org.ng/onlineapplication
• Click the examination section (select the appropriate examination)
• Payment of the non-refundable examination fee must be made in full online before you can proceed with the application.
• Print the duly completed application form after submission online, ensure that Items 8(f), 9(g), 10 and 11 are completed and endorsed accordingly then return to the Institute in an envelope addressed to the Secretary General, NIQS No 84, 4th Avenue (Sa’adu Zungur Avenue) Gwarinpa, Abuja. This shall include photocopies of the following:

1. Two 2 Recent Passport Sized Photographs ii.  O’Level Certificate (Not Statement of Result)
   • Copy of Graduate         Level   Certificates      (compulsory)/Postgraduate

Certificates (where applicable)

1. Membership Certificate of other professional bodies
2. Evidences of Logbooks/Diaries Assessments stages 1,2,3, Passed.
3. GDE & TPC Examinations Results (passed) vii. Copy of Logbook/Diary Stage 3 Report

• Evidence of confirmed online payment of the examination fee. (N25,000.00) (the dues may vary with time)
• Submit document to NIQS secretariat (House no 84, 4^th avenue, Sa’adu Zungur Avenue Gwarinpa, po box 10689 Garki Abuja) or (17/19 Idowu Tylor street, Victoria island Lagos state

5. QUANTITY SURVEYOR’S REGISTRATION BOARD OF NIGERIA (QSRBN)

INTERVIEW: The QSRBN regulate the activities of the quantity surveying profession in Nigeria. this QSRBN interview is to qualify quantity surveyors and issue them certificate of registration and seals

The requirements for registration as a Quantity Surveyor are:

• Processing Fee: Payment of a sum of money for Registration Form and Processing

Fee Through (REMITA)

• Photocopies of all academic and Professional Certificates
• All enclosed certificates should be duly signed and stamped by your two (2) recommenders (who have a current certification with the board) with their QS registration stamp or seal.
• WASC/GCE (O/L) certificates must contain 5 credits including English Language, Physics and Mathematics and any other two (2) relevant subjects at not more than two (2) sittings.
• Passport Photographs; The two (2) Passport Photographs should be counter-signed by the two (2) recommenders who must have a current certification with the Board.
• Sworn Declaration; Sworn Declaration as contained in Paragraph 5.0 of the form (Form No: QSRBN/F/001)
• Certificate of Experience; 1st & 2nd Year Experience should be completed by past or present employer who must be a Registered Quantity Surveyor with a current certification with the Board.
• In the absence of Certificate of Experience, Letter of Attestation should be presented from either one or two RQS (as the case may be) who had supervised the applicant and who must also have a current certification with the Board.
• Forward completed FORMS to No. 21, 4th Avenue (Sa’adu Zungur Avenue), Gwarinpa, Abuja

6. INDUCTION: Congratulations this is the point where you are recognized for success and integrated to the Members of the Nigeria Institute of Quantity Surveyor’s profession (MNIQS) and Register Quantity Surveyor of nigeria ( RQS) at the point you are given a stamp and a seal which certify you as a bonafide and professional member of the profession in which you are bind by the ethics and guidelines of the profession.

(NIQS AND QSRBN INDUCTION)

Written by: AFOLABI OLATIDE 

Reference

• Nigeria Institute of Quantity Surveyor’s publication’s
• Quantity Surveyor’s Registration Board of Nigeria publication’s