The Chairman, Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), Dr Samson Opaluwah, has urged stakeholders to fashion a new policy that will ensure efficient management of infrastructure and facilities across the country.
Opaluwah also appealed to stakeholders to accord special attention to facility management towards enhancing productivity, improving the economy, longevity of infrastructure and saving cost of maintenance.
He gave the charge at the investiture of a new national Chairman for the Nigerian Institution of Builders in Facilities Management (NIBIFM), Akpatre Ndaw, induction of 31 new fellows and corporate organisations organised by NIBIFM in Lagos. The forum included special awards to Prof Kunle Wahab, Mrs Folashade Laja, Dr Olajide Faremi and Mr Olatunde Jaiyesimi.
Opaluwah advocated 20-year sustainability planning for infrastructure constructed at every level of government. The plans should include who should carry out the maintenance, how resources will be harnessed and when it would be maintained.
The CORBON chairman observed that the cause of the collapse of much of the nation’s infrastructure is due to a lack of facility management. To reverse the trend, he said there should be a policy to drive facility management.
“These days we talk about a ‘state of emergency’ for political situations, we also need a state of emergency on our roads, power, and refineries. Technology is playing an increasingly important role in facility management, with the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (Al-robotics) and digital platforms. The facility management industry in Nigeria is expected to continue to grow and evolve as the country continues to develop and urbanise,” he said.
Opaluwah identified challenges facing the profession to include lack of awareness and skilled workforce, volatile economic conditions, poor perception and acceptance of new ideas, operational problems, funding issues, frequent management changes, and lack of trained and skillful facility managers.
Despite the challenges, he said, facility management is becoming increasingly recognised as a strategic function, with facility managers playing a key role in ensuring that facilities support the organisation’s strategic goals.
On the theme, “FM: Breaking the Barriers, Empowering Equality- A Journey Towards Professional Parity”, he said that professionals must break barriers that limit diversity, recognition, and technological progress but embrace quality service delivery through standardisation, benchmarking, education, mentorship, and policy changes.
“We must elevate FM into a professional discipline with clear standards, ethical guidelines, and technological integration. I can visualise a future where Artificial Intelligence, virtual reality, 3-D processing robotics and high-resolution imagery will become so prevalent that facility management functions will be proficiently carried out remotely,” Opaluwah said.
In his speech, Ndaw pledged to elevate facilities management in Nigeria to greater heights with the support of members. He said the achievements celebrated by the institution were due to commitment, perseverance, and the collective efforts of stakeholders.
However, he said, NIBIFM would continue to evolve as a dynamic institution that requires sustained collaboration, resources, and expertise from its fellows, partners, and built environment community.
Outgone NIBIFM national chairman, Dr Olufemi Akinsola, appealed to members to work with the new chairman and strive to uphold the standards set by the institution.
The chairman of the occasion/Managing Director of AKMODEL Group, Dr Abdulhakeem Odegade, charged practitioners to strive for excellence, innovate and collaborate in addressing the complex challenges facing the profession and the world.
Earlier, the President of Nigerian Institute of Building, (NIOB) Sir Alderton Ewa, said, “The facilities management industry must raise awareness about its stakeholders and policies will drive its success. The sector must also adapt to evolving policy frameworks, workforce dynamics and technological advancements.
