Infrastructure decay and BIFM intervention

With the change mantra of the new government in Nigeria, there’s a growing belief a paradigm shift is underway that will alter the status quo in every sector of the economy.  One of the resulting effects of this change will be a greater focus on arresting the infrastructural decay that has plagued the country over the years. Of particular interest is the role Facilities Management professionals can play to provide the much-needed planned and systematic maintenance required to sustain both existing and new infrastructure to support economic growth. As Nigeria continues to see investment in real estate and infrastructure, there is no doubt there will be a better understanding of the value that facilities management can bring to organisations and the economy at large.

Recently, the minister of Sports decried the sorry state of what was once the pride of Nigeria, the National Stadium, Lagos. It had been neglected for so long and had become a haven for thieves and hoodlums, unable to provide a ‘fit for purpose’ place for the development of sports in Nigeria, and seemingly becoming a wasted investment. The National Stadium in Surulere is not the only government monument facing this challenge.  There is the National Theatre, the not so old Abuja National Stadium that cost millions of Naira, and numerous airports across the country as well as stadia that are being left to rot because of poor maintenance.

The losses incurred are not only in the depreciation of these infrastructures but also in the failure to develop the different sectors with adequate infrastructure in the sectors I referenced above. For instance, low level of sports development that could creatively engage young people, lack of facilitation of local and international tourism as well as reducing or making intra-state trade more difficult. We may never how much the arts industry would have developed in Nigeria if the National Theatre had been properly maintained over the years.  If all these costs were computed, majority of people would be shocked at what poor facilities management of public institutions had done to  hamper economic development.

As the BIFM Nigeria Region prepares to champion the growth of FM profession and the industry in Nigeria, the plan is to offer a range of support to its existing members, and the wider facilities management community, to carefully harness these opportunities for the growth of the industry. It will engage in educational opportunities for its members, encourage the next generation of facilities management professionals and work to promote key issues such as global best practices and benchmarking amongst others in the sector.  The ultimate goal is to look at FM that focuses on looking not just at the facilities to manage but at the needs of the end users i.e. the people who use the facilities – what do they want in the facilities to make them comfortable and inspire them? What are peoples’ needs – including looking at people with special needs, parents with babies and young children etc.  These are some of the new areas that BIFM is planning to engage stakeholders in Nigeria, showing how facilities management is intrinsically linked to economic growth and makes good business sense – for both private and public sectors.   

Tunde Obileye