In Lagos Nigeria, where the real estate industry continues to expand rapidly, one developer is asking a different set of questions. Regis Ohia, CEO of Varosi Properties, believes the future of real estate in Nigeria lies not in aggressive sales or expansion, but in deliberate innovation driven by technology and structure.
Ohia’s journey into the sector started with hands-on learning. As an intern at Reftop Homes, he immersed himself in every aspect of project execution, client relations, and operational strategy. Within a year, he rose to the position of general manager. By April 2022, he established Varosi Properties with a clear goal: to build real estate systems that prioritise value, planning, and integrity.
Since then, the company has expanded beyond Lagos to new developments in Port Harcourt. But Ohia insists the mission isn’t just about growing numbers. It is about building trust in an industry where many buyers have grown sceptical.
“Clients don’t just buy land from us,” he said. “They’re buying confidence in a system. That system must be built on transparency, accountability, and smart technology.”
To uphold this system, Varosi has adopted digital tools such as Sytemap, which allows for digitised land records, automated plot allocation, and real-time buyer access to dashboards. The firm also employs digital payment platforms, cloud-based customer management systems, and virtual inspections supported by satellite data.
For Ohia, this is more than modernisation. It is a practical response to Nigeria’s housing deficit, estimated at over 17 million units, and a population where nearly 60 percent now has access to the internet.
“The numbers show us the opportunity, but we must approach it with solutions tailored to Nigeria’s realities,” he explained. “We’re not trying to copy global models. From power supply to land disputes, our challenges are unique. That means the tech we deploy must be made for Nigerians by Nigerians.”
Varosi’s choices reflect this philosophy. Virtual estate tours, escrow-backed payments, and QR-coded allocation certificates are all part of the company’s effort to make real estate transactions more secure, efficient, and transparent.
“I’ve seen too many people lose money through disorganised paperwork or unregulated sales,” Ohia said. “We focused on removing those pain points, even the ones others overlook.”
Looking beyond individual estates, Ohia believes Nigeria is in a position to become the proptech hub of Africa. To achieve that, he is calling for stronger collaboration between developers, policymakers, and technology companies. He advocates for reforms that would improve access to property data, introduce frameworks for digital transactions, and enforce penalties for fraudulent practices.
“There must be clear policy direction,” he noted. “Digital land sales, secure verification systems, and incentives for innovation must be supported if we want lasting impact.”
His view is supported by data. A 2023 PwC Nigeria report revealed that over 60 percent of new housing in Lagos is delivered without adequate planning approval, resulting in poor infrastructure, legal uncertainty, and eroded buyer trust. In contrast, Varosi Properties employs tools like drone mapping and real-time dashboards to track construction phases, payment history, and development timelines — systems designed to bring clarity to buyers and accountability to developers.
For Ohia, technology is also a tool for protecting brand credibility. All Varosi estates undergo full master planning before any site work begins. This includes zoning for green areas, road layouts, and internal drainage design, steps he believes should be standard in Nigeria’s residential development space.
“Luxury to us isn’t just about high-end finishes,” he said. “It means roads that don’t flood, layouts that actually work, and infrastructure that holds up regardless of external conditions. That’s the kind of planning technology allows us to enforce.”
Demand is growing, especially from middle-class Nigerians and diaspora investors seeking organised, eco-conscious communities with functional amenities. Ohia sees this as a sign that market preferences are changing, and that developers must adapt.
“People are now asking about long-term living, sustainability, and cost-saving innovations,” he said, referencing a World Bank statistic that certified green buildings can reduce utility costs by up to 40 percent. “We’re positioning Varosi to meet those expectations with developments that deliver more than just houses.”
Looking ahead, Varosi Properties plans to expand into other regions while deepening its integration of technology across construction, client engagement, and post-sales support. The company is also exploring strategic partnerships to create a broader digital real estate platform that could eventually serve West African markets.
Despite challenges such as regulatory delays and infrastructure limitations, Ohia remains optimistic.
“Nigeria has the market, the skills, and the urgency,” he said. “What we need now is structure. If developers lead with integrity, if regulators modernise our laws, and if innovators build with context in mind, there’s no reason Nigeria can’t lead Africa’s proptech revolution.”
As the country’s digital economy grows, it seems real estate may finally be ready to evolve with it. And at the forefront of that shift, Regis Ohia is quietly proving that innovation, when grounded in local insight and professional delivery, can move the entire sector forward.
