By Amos Harris
The Banking Institute of Liberia (BIL), in partnership with BRIQX Group Ltd., has launched a national stakeholders’ consultation aimed at developing Liberia’s first Real Estate Finance Certification Program.
The initiative is expected to strengthen professionalism, improve service delivery, and raise standards across Liberia’s growing real estate and property sector.
The consultation brought together representatives from government institutions, the banking industry, the Liberia Revenue Authority, academia, real estate companies, and the private sector to provide recommendations on a certification program tailored to Liberia’s legal, economic, and market realities.
Organizers said the initiative seeks to address longstanding skills gaps in the real estate industry while preparing professionals to respond to increasing demand for expertise in housing, property investment, land development, property management, and real estate finance.
The proposed certification program represents a collaborative effort between a financial training institution and a private real estate company to establish a nationally driven curriculum rather than depending primarily on foreign training models.
Delivering the opening remarks, BIL Director General Assistant Professor Richard S. Panton said educational institutions must continuously adapt to emerging national needs by providing practical and relevant professional training. Professor Panton noted that Liberia’s expanding housing and real estate sectors require qualified professionals with specialized knowledge to support sustainable national development. He acknowledged that although many Liberians have entered the real estate business through personal experience and interest, opportunities for structured professional education have remained limited.
He explained that discussions between BIL and BRIQX resulted in the decision to jointly develop a certification program reflecting Liberia’s unique environment. However, he stressed that broad stakeholder participation is essential to ensuring that the curriculum responds to the practical needs of the industry. “This program should become Liberia’s own,” Professor Panton said, urging participants to contribute recommendations that would help create an effective and relevant professional training program.
For his part, BRIQX Group Ltd. Director Osman Nyei emphasized the urgent need for specialized education as Liberia’s property market continues to expand. Nyei said the proposed program will provide participants with practical knowledge in real estate finance, investment analysis, property management, valuation, ethics, customer relations, and regulatory compliance. He argued that professionally trained practitioners could improve service delivery, increase public confidence, reduce disputes, attract investment, and promote greater transparency within the real estate sector.
Nyei encouraged students, financial professionals, entrepreneurs, developers, land administrators, and aspiring real estate practitioners to enroll when the program is launched, describing professional education as an investment in both individual advancement and national development.
During the consultation, stakeholders examined curriculum content, ethical standards, financing models, certification requirements, and measures to ensure that graduates acquire practical skills relevant to the industry. Participants recommended courses covering land governance, property law, mortgage financing, investment risk management, digital property technology, customer service, and environmental sustainability. They also stressed the need to combine classroom instruction with practical field experience.
Stakeholders further highlighted the strong relationship between banking and real estate, noting that an improved understanding of property finance could strengthen mortgage lending, encourage investment, and contribute to a more stable property market.
Organizers described the initiative as timely amid Liberia’s increasing urbanization, growing housing demand, and renewed investment in infrastructure. They said a professionally trained workforce could help restore confidence in the sector while contributing to broader economic growth.
Recommendations from the consultation will inform the next phase of curriculum development before the certification program is formally launched. At the close of the forum, BIL and BRIQX reaffirmed their commitment to developing a certification program that meets international standards while addressing Liberia’s specific needs. The two institutions also urged stakeholders and prospective students to support the initiative, expressing hope that it will become a significant step toward building a more professional, transparent, and sustainable real estate industry in Liberia.