Various tasks and services are used to support the organisation’s core operations to increase economic efficiency in companies or the country as a whole.

Facility management is responsible for ensuring that these support services are delivered in the proper form, correct quality, and at the right cost to produce the desired results for the organisation.

In this article, I will discuss how to tackle challenges in Nigeria’s Facilities Management Sector to unlock massive growth.

Importance of Facility Management in Nigeria

“Facility management is the integration of processes within an organisation to maintain and develop the agreed services which sustain and enhance the effectiveness of its principal activities,” according to an acceptable definition by European Standard (EN 15221.1).

Many firms see facilities management as a supplementary duty, and there is hardly any professional facilities management competence. As a result, few businesses make any impact on facility maintenance.

The operations of organisations are significantly impacted since facilities management tasks are frequently disregarded.

To boost performance, many organisations are changing their cultures.

Facilities management can play a constructive role by helping the organisation become a part of a comprehensive transformation initiative or by serving as a catalyst and paving the way for others to follow.

Furthermore, according to research conducted, organisations that employ performance assessment systems as the foundation for management to perform better. Effective performance measurement methods must be put in place by organisations if these advantages are to be achieved.

The point raised here demonstrates how facilities management performance assessment benefits the organisation.

Recent Challenges Facing the FM Industry

Recently, mixed reactions from professionals in the sector have pointed out challenges that should be addressed.

One of the articles published by Tekedia Networks on Tackling Challenges in Nigeria’s Facilities Management Sector to Unlock Growth gave a wide view of this.

One of the problems mentioned indicates that the industry’s yearly expansion is drawing quacks to it.

Furthermore, some organisations find it difficult to distinguish between property managers and providers of facilities management since the industry has a recognition difficulty.

Having a high influx of quacks and lack of recognition isn’t the only monumental endemic that has eaten deep into the fabric of the organisation; some FM providers do not always provide insightful issues on facilities to the clients, lack sustainable budget management, execute poor plan presentation and do not have sufficient supply management knowledge.

At Eliezer Group, we believe that one way to address this challenge is through better education on the effects of quacks and awareness about choosing qualified and certified professionals for facilities management services.

Effects of Quacks in the Facility Management Industry in Nigeria

Poor facility management has resulted in a number of dangers to health and safety and, in the worst cases, deaths.

There is a strong likelihood that when a property is inadequately managed, residents are at the mercy of faulty utilities, which pose a considerable risk if not addressed.

Additionally, it has been argued that good facility management lengthens the economic lives of buildings.

On the other hand, poor facility management causes building flaws and reduces building economic lifespans. This effect has been seen in building collapse, which is common in Nigeria due to substandard materials, inadequate supervision in constructing multi-storey structures, poor building practices and code violations, quackery, and lack of adequate maintenance.

Collapses were noted in some significant areas of Lagos in recent years due to poor facility management. The same had happened in the Jabi and Garki districts of Abuja, the rapidly expanding Federal Capital City.

In terms of the number of people lost and injured, property damage, and financial losses, some of the disasters were truly colossal.

Possible Solutions To Facility Management Pressing Problems in Nigeria

Find Certified Professionals

Buildings, like the first skyscraper in West Africa, the cocoa house, were primarily administered by firms and people who provided janitorial services.

This pattern persisted for a long time before some experts realised that there was a need for a specific intervention that would promote comprehensive management of the built environment regardless of the kind of building.

A unique group of professionals from the built environment, including architects, civil engineers, electrical engineers, and builders, was assembled in 1995 to give Nigeria a chance to create a maintenance culture that will influence the future of the nation.

The International Facility Management Association’s (IFMA) Nigerian Chapter was started to establish quality improvement objectives with a focus on applying global facility management standards to infrastructure maintenance.

With several initiatives and activities with both public and private organisations, IFMA Nigeria has not let up on its impact on society.

Finding certified individuals to provide facilities management services is the first step to eradicating this issue.

To ensure that the professional can perform the services, it is crucial to confirm that they are certified and qualified.

This can be accomplished by requesting documentation of credentials and certifications and then verifying them with professional associations. Some of the associations to look out for are:

• International Facilities Management Association (IFMA)
• World Corporate Facility Management Alliance
• Nigerian Environmental Society (NES)
• Nigerian Institute of Safety Practitioners (NIS)
• Cleaners Practicing Association of Nigeria (CPAN)

Also, look out for safety standard bodies such as ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and British Safety Council.

Not only will this help to guarantee that the expert is qualified and certified, but it will also show that they are current with the rules of the industry.

Ask for References

Asking for references is another step in the right direction in locating suitable personnel for facility management services.

You can do this by requesting suggestions from professional associations in Nigeria. In addition to those listed above, the Council of Registered Engineers of Nigerian (COREN), Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), Nigerian Institute of Management (NIMN), and Hospitality and Tourism Management (HATMAN) are related associations from which you may be able to get recommendations.

Conduct Research

You should conduct thorough research before making a hiring decision. This can include reading reviews and feedback from previous customers, checking the professional’s portfolio of work, and asking for references from former clients.

This will help to ensure that the professional is experienced and knowledgeable in the field and can be trusted to provide quality services.

Furthermore, check to see if they follow a data-backed approach. Facility Management companies must adopt a data-driven culture to unlock sector development and capture necessary benefits.

Big data can be used in various areas to improve customer-focused services, minimise corporate risks, maximise asset and equipment performance, and stay competitive.

Ask Questions

Finally, it’s imperative that you ask the professionals or organisations you are considering questions before moving forward with them.

Asking these specific questions can help you determine if they have the knowledge, skill, and experience to ensure the longevity of your facilities and the safety of your employees or building residents.

As you do that, it is important to prioritise quality over cost. While it may be tempting to choose the lowest bidder, it is important to remember that the cheapest option may not always be the best. Qualified professionals may charge more upfront, but their expertise and attention to detail can result in cost savings in the long run.

Conclusion

The FM industry is one of the industries contributing to Nigeria’s human and national development.

By using these proposed solutions, businesses and individuals can increase their chances of hiring qualified professionals who will provide cost-saving approaches and value-added solutions. On the other hand, facilities management companies that aren’t up to par will be forced to sit up or leave the market, thus mitigating the possibility of experiencing inadequate facilities management.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), on Sunday said there is no going back on the January 31 deadline it gave for the return of old N200, N500 and N1, 000 notes to the banks.

The apex bank said it has directed banks to stop over-the-counter issuance of the new naira notes, limiting the dispensation to ATM withdrawals only, as part of efforts to ensure adequate circulation of the redesigned notes before the deadline.

In allaying concerns over the closeness of the deadline, the CBN said it has made provisions for the newly redesigned naira notes to be circulated nationwide, including in rural areas.

Part of the provisions is its partnership with the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and various market associations.

It said the partnership would begin an aggressive enlightenment and public awareness campaign on the naira redesign project as well as the need to properly handle the naira notes from Tuesday.

“Banks are barred from distributing the new notes over-the-counter. All new notes must go to the ATMs. The directive to the banks from the central bank is that as they must dispense through their ATMs nationwide and people can go to the ATMs to collect the money. They cannot dispense the new notes across the counter for now until they exhaust the new notes. And when that happens, they can then upload the old notes. Until they get another supply of new notes,” ThisDay quoted a CBN source as saying.

“That is the only way to ensure that the new notes are being circulated. Otherwise, what the banks were doing from our intelligence was that they were holding the cash and giving it to high profile individuals and customers over-the-counter and not circulating it to ordinary customers. So, we decided they must only dispense it through ATM machines for now until it fully circulates in the financial system,” the source said, adding that banks caught breaching this directive would face stiff sanctions.

However, the general public are lamenting that 21 days to the deadline, banks’ ATMs are still dispensing old naira notes, which suggests that the CBN and banks are not speaking the same language regarding the circulation of the redesigned naira notes.

Although some banks, like the United Bank for Africa (UBA), have announced that their ATMs have commenced dispensing the new naira notes, a lot of others are still stuck with the old ones.

The situation has created doubt in the minds of the public that the CBN deadline will be successfully met across the country. With the challenge of the new naira rejection still in play, many have called on the central bank to extend the deadline.

The distribution of the new naira notes were originally billed to take effect from 15 Dec 2022, but it has taken nearly a month.