Ghana Institution of Surveyors

What Ghana Institution of Surveyors does

Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS) is a non-profit professional membership organization established in 1969 and headquartered in Accra, Ghana. It is the legally mandated professional body for surveying in Ghana under NRCD 143 (National Redemption Council Decree 143), with regulatory authority over three divisions: Land Surveying, Quantity Surveying, and Valuation and Estate Surveying. The institution serves practicing surveyors and related professionals across Ghana through a distributed network of 16 regional chapters, 4 faculties, and 2 active networks — the Young Surveyors Network (YSN) and Women in Surveying (WinS). It employs approximately 36 staff and operates from Accra, with a newly inaugurated regional office in Kumasi.

GhIS's core products include professional membership certification, continuing professional development (CPD) and training programs, professional application and examination services, institutional stamps and certificates, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services, and a Value-for-Money (VfM) Advisory Unit. It has published proprietary technical assets such as the Valuation Standards 2023 Edition. Distribution is primarily event-driven (annual conferences, seminars, CPD events) and community-led through the 16 regional chapters and 2 networks; a member portal supports subscription and stamp administration.

The business model is a membership-and-fee model. Revenue derives from membership subscriptions, application and examination fees (application forms priced at 100 GHS per set), CPD/training fees, professional stamps and certificates, and fee-for-service income from ADR and VfM advisory engagements. Recent strategic moves include the inauguration of the Kumasi regional office (February 2025), commencement of a Centre of Excellence construction (May 2025), MoUs with Haiflow Company Limited (August 2025) and Aspire Destination LTD (July 2026), publication of the Valuation Standards 2023 Edition, and a leadership transition with Kofi Cobbold assuming the presidency for the 2026/2027 term.

Name

Ghana Institution of Surveyors

Legal name

Ghana Institution of Surveyors

Website

https://ghis.org.gh

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS) is Ghana's legally mandated professional membership body for surveyors under NRCD 143, providing certification, CPD, and regulatory oversight across three divisions (Land, Quantity, Valuation) and 16 regional chapters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (541370)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAAALAG

Architecture, Planning & Surveying (AIA, Planning, Land Surveyor CE)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Professional Licensure & Continuing Professional Education (CE/CPE)

SECONDARYBPADANAB

Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/International Standards, Policy & Regulatory Cooperation

Keywords

• Professional surveying membership
• Land surveying services
• Quantity surveying consulting
• Estate valuation surveying
• Continuing professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

Accra

HQ country

Ghana

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: GhIS generates primary revenue through annual membership subscriptions from individual members (Fellow, Professional Member, Associate Member, Technician Member, Student Member) and corporate/registered surveying firms. Subscription fees vary by membership class and may be subject to concessions for retired or ill-health members.
2. Application and Examination Fees: Revenue is generated from processing membership applications, examination fees for professional qualification pathways, and entry/admission charges. Application forms are available for download at a cost.
3. Training Programs and CPD: GhIS organizes annual refresher trainings, workshops, seminars, and CPD events. Members benefit from subsidized rates, while non-members may pay full fees, generating training revenue.
4. Professional Stamps and Certificates: GhIS issues professional stamps and certificates to accredited members and recognized surveying firms for a fee, reinforcing regulatory compliance and revenue.
5. GhIS Business & ADR Services: The institution offers paid Alternative Dispute Resolution services, Value for Money audit services, and other consultancy services through its Centre of Excellence, generating professional services revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS) is the legally mandated professional membership body for surveyors in Ghana under NRCD143, providing professional certification, tiered membership (Fellow, Professional Member, Associate, Technician, Student), continuing professional development, ADR and dispute resolution services, Value for Money auditing, publications, and professional stamps and certificates. It organizes the profession into three divisions (Land Surveying, Quantity Surveying, Valuation and Estate Surveying) and four faculties, supported by a member portal and 16 regional chapters.

Product overview

Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS) operates as a professional membership organization rather than a software product company. Its offerings include a member portal for account management and subscriptions, searchable directories for finding surveyors and firms, and professional development services through CPD programs. Core services span Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), Value for Money Audit Services, annual refresher trainings, publications, and research. The institution is structured around three primary divisions (Land Surveying, Quantity Surveying, Valuation and Estate Surveying) and four specialized faculties. GhIS is developing a Centre of Excellence that will house ADR, VfM, and Data Processing facilities upon completion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• CPD requirement: 60 hours of continuing professional development within every three-year period for all members
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered moderate, core and minor.

• Aspire Destination LTDmoderateGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 July 2026GhIS signed an MoU with Aspire Destination LTD to provide comprehensive travel management services for the institution. Aspire Destination LTD manages day-to-day travel arrangements including flight bookings, accommodation reservations, visa assistance, and logistical coordination for local and international engagements, conferences, AGMs, workshops, and professional events.
• Haiflow Company LimitedmoderateStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 August 2025GhIS signed an MoU with Haiflow Company Limited on August 7, 2025 to establish a strategic partnership for professional development, capacity building, innovation, and knowledge sharing. The agreement includes joint initiatives such as training programmes, workshops, and industry engagements promoting best practices within surveying and the built environment.
• Government of Ghana (Multiple Ministries)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 May 2025GhIS Centre of Excellence sod-cutting ceremony in May 2025 was attended by government representatives from the Ministries of Finance, Roads & Highways, Justice, and the Public Procurement Authority, demonstrating cross-sector government support for GhIS infrastructure development.
• National Service Secretariat (NSS)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024GhIS engages with the National Service Secretariat for collaboration on national service deployment of surveyor trainees and joint institutional activities. A photo from 2024 documents a courtesy visit between GhIS and NSS leadership.
• Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGhIS maintains a strategic partnership with RICS. In 2014, during the 9th Surveyors Week and 45th AGM, an MOU was signed between GhIS and RICS. GhIS also offers a direct entry route to membership for RICS members. This partnership enhances international recognition and standards alignment for Ghanaian surveyors.
• International Federation of Surveyors (FIG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGhIS is a member association of FIG (International Federation of Surveyors), participating in FIG Working Weeks and international conferences. GhIS hosted the FIG Working Week Accra 2024, demonstrating its international engagement and contribution to global surveying standards.
• African Real Estate Society (AfRES)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGhIS maintains active membership in AfRES, participating in annual conferences and presenting research papers. GhIS members have presented at AfRES conferences in Livingstone, Zambia (2024) and other locations, contributing to pan-African real estate discourse.
• Public Procurement Authority of Ghana (PPAG)moderateImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGhIS has a working memorandum with PPAG for cooperation in the delivery of works procurement for professionals in Ghana. PPAG and GhIS jointly facilitate training programmes, enhancing professional procurement standards in the construction and surveying sectors.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS): Global chartered body for surveying professionals with which GhIS has a 2014 MOU and offers a direct entry membership route. RICS is a much larger globally recognized professional body that GhIS aligns with for standards and international recognition.

Direct peers

• Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS): Statutorily recognized professional body for surveyors in Nigeria, covering Land, Quantity, and Valuation surveying disciplines. Highly comparable to GhIS in structure, divisions, regulation, and CPD requirements.
• Institution of Surveyors of Kenya (ISK): Kenya's nationally mandated professional body for surveyors, covering land surveying, valuation, and quantity surveying. Directly comparable to GhIS in mandate, membership structure, and CPD framework.
• South African Geomatics Institute (SAGI): South African professional body representing geomatics practitioners and surveyors. Comparable in regulatory role, member certification, and CPD offerings; serves as a regional counterpart to GhIS.
• Ghana Institution of Engineers (GhIE): Ghana's leading professional body for engineers, with a similar mandate structure, CPD requirements, and government engagement. Strong peer comparison for institutional design, governance, and member services within Ghana.
• Ghana Institute of Planners (GIP): Ghana's professional planning body, working alongside GhIS on land use and built environment policy. Comparable in scale, statutory role, and divisional/specialist member structure.

Others

• International Federation of Surveyors (FIG): Global umbrella federation of national surveying associations. GhIS is a member association and hosted FIG Working Week Accra 2024, making FIG the international body to which GhIS belongs.
• African Real Estate Society (AfRES): Pan-African society for real estate research and practice in which GhIS actively participates and presents papers. Adjacent peer reflecting GhIS's international academic and policy engagement.

Regional players

• Tanzania Institution of Valuers and Surveyors (TIVS): National professional body for valuers and surveyors in Tanzania. Comparable to GhIS in scope (valuation + surveying), regional position in East Africa, and CPD/membership structure.
• Institution of Surveyors of Uganda (ISU): Professional body for land, quantity, and valuation surveyors in Uganda. Comparable to GhIS in divisional structure, regulatory mandate, and reliance on membership subscriptions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ghana Institution of Surveyors