Instrumentation is a key factor in the theory and practice of land surveying. At various contexts, slow-paced technology adoption is a major setback to professional practice. Within the context of land surveying, such a die-hard situation, which has almost assumed a ‘ sailing ship effect’ spurs interest in high-end surveying equipment, for example terrestrial laser scanners (TLS). Research regarding this important issue is scarce in the scientific journal and often provides generalised findings. Thus, specific determinants of modern TLS adoption at spatial contexts (countries and individual cities) are unknown, and this is a major knowledge gap which undermines response efforts. Our aim in this study is to examine the factors related to slow-paced adoption of TLS in Nigeria. We formulated the hypothesis of the study based on the capacity mapping model (CMM) and used semi-structured questionnaires to collect primary data on land surveyors in Enugu – a major hub of geoinformation and land surveying operation in Nigeria. We used descriptive statistics in SPSS to analyse the data, and explore patterns, trends, and interdependencies between the variables we measured in the study. Results show a good depiction of surveying practice in the study area, although cadastral services, engineering surveying, and land information management (LIM) represent the dominant surveying operations. These dominant operations, which often require basic logistics to implement, are key evidence of the slow-paced adoption of TLS. The contributing factors to this situation are lack of funds, poor technical capacity, and the shrinking value and scope of work exclusive to traditional land surveying. We corroborate these findings with evidence of land surveying experience in other developing countries. We therefore argue that future development of land surveying in the developing countries is subject to compliance with current global professionalism, which is possible only if more land surveyors base their competences on a successful adoption of modern technology.