Global PFI seeks NASS support to create institute for Nigerian FM industry

Global Property and Facilities International Limited (Global PFI) has urged the newly inaugurated 8th National Assembly to support and work with it to pass the bill for the creation and registration of Nigerian Institute of Facilities Management (FM) as quickly as possible.

This action has become imperative because, according to the company, which championed the creation of African Institute of Facilities Management, as one of the growth sectors of the economy, FM industry is yet to be classified and valued as a contributor to GDP, lamenting that lack of regulation and structure in the industry is a major impediment to its growth.

“Our company over the years has been at the forefront of industry development with pioneering efforts at recognizing and celebrating annual World FM Day in Nigeria since 2009. In 2010, in partnership with others, we organized the first ever International Conference on Facilities Management in West Africa”, MKO Balogun, the company’s MD/CEO, disclosed.

Balogun whose explanation was contained in his speech at the company’s 15th anniversary celebration in Lagos recently, thrilled his guests with the company’s fascinating milestones since it opened for business in 2000.

“The company, which started as Facilities Management Company (FMC) Nigeria Limited, has transformed several times from being affiliated to WSP, a global engineering design and environmental services group, leading to the name WSP FMC Nigeria Limited; in 2012, it merged with an indigenous FM company, Domme Facilities Management, a company that started in 2006 as an MBA project at the Lagos Business School, and was subsequently registered in 2007. On July 1, 2014, our dear company changed her name from WSP FMC Nigeria Limited to Global Property  and Facilities International Ltd (Global PFI)”, Balogun enthused.

An integrated facilities management company, touted as the first truly international facilities management (IFM) company in Nigeria, Global PFI has expanded its service offerings to include property services,  retail development advisory, operations and management, infrastructure operations and management, power plant set-up, operations and management, etc.

With clients in various sectors of the economy, the company assures its existing and potential clients of value for money, assuring further that it will continue to partner with them to ensure facilities management is a strategic function in their organizations—enabling the business and supporting the people who work in those organisations. Balogun said that their focus on people development was noteworthy, explaining that the company runs an internship program for potential employees and graduates to expose them to the rudiments of FM.

“We also focus on community support and corporate social responsibility with our “adopt a school program” from which a secondary school in Victoria Island has benefited; we are extending the program to another secondary school—Eko Akate Junior Secondary school; we have also instituted an award for the Best Graduating Student at the University of Lagos Master’s Degree Program in Facilities Management”, he informed.