The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Africa conference held at the Sandton Convention Centre on August 26, 2026, brought together professionals from the built environment to discuss the future of the industry across the continent. This was the first RICS Africa Conference to take place in South Africa, running in partnership with the Women’s Property Network (WPN). The event was led by Dan Schirren, RICS’ newly appointed Market Director for the Middle East and Africa (MEA).
According to the report, Schirren noted that the primary obstacle to adopting new technologies that drive economic growth in South Africa and much of Africa is a shortage of skilled labor. He emphasized that the challenge is not cost, but the availability of qualified professionals. RICS surveyed approximately 3,148 professionals to understand their working environment and challenges.
“We are on the largest skills drive in years. Given that the largest barrier to adopting tech is a shortage of skill and not cost, we have to upskill people across the built environment,” Schirren said.
The attendees discussed strategies to train more South Africans as quantity surveyors and project managers for upcoming projects. They also looked at ways to resolve the skills bottleneck through training and capital investment. Even though Middle East tensions have pushed up commodity prices and input costs, the opportunities in Africa’s construction sector remain substantial.
Market Trends and Asset Management
Schirren observed significant changes in property ownership and valuations across African markets. Ownership cycles are shortening, with groups selling assets like hotels and offices to private equity rather than holding them for decades. Valuations are also becoming more comparable across different markets on the continent.
He also highlighted the improvement of asset registers in numerous markets. This process involves valuation and measurement rather than just technology implementation, providing long-term value. More African groups are joining RICS, which allows business to be assessed against a known standard.
While the construction industry is growing at 7.5% annually across Africa—making it the fastest growth rate of any region on Earth—Schirren pointed out that the adoption of artificial intelligence varies. Three quarters of commercial property professionals use AI for work, but less than 5% have fully embedded it into business processes.
“Generating a number gets cheaper with AI but being accountable for that number becomes more valuable as a consequence,” Schirren said.
He urged South African politicians, including the new state property company, to prioritize the preservation of heritage infrastructure and buildings while expanding the country’s built economy. The conference provided a platform for industry leaders to recognize the importance of workforce transformation to enable more efficient and productive operations.
The growth of the property sector is undeniable. SA REITs fall 5 percent in August. This volatility reflects broader market shifts.
