General
Built Environment: Facility Managers Calls for Synergy
As professionals in the Nigerian built environment converged in Lagos to mark this year’s ‘World Facility Management Day’, facility managers and other stakeholders have called for synergy among players in the sector towards achieving an excellent built environment.
As professionals in the built environment continue to change the narratives towards sustainable progress in strategic collaboration with public institutions for a better operating environment for facility management (FM) in Nigeria; stakeholders are of the view that better synergy among players in the sector will deepen FM. The event which took place at the University of Lagos had the theme- “Celebrating FM: Standing tall beyond the Pandemic” drew participants from academic, political and social Nigeria.
Addressing stakeholders nationwide, at the celebration, the President of the International Facility Management Association, Nigerian Chapter, Mr Segun Adebayo said the event in line with the global practice seeks to recognize and celebrate the vital work that facility managers across the world have contributed to different industries during the pandemic and even now that we are gradually winning the war against COVID-19.
He states further that IFMA will continue to map out critical paths towards a better operating environment, as members are determined to achieve a sustainable and forward-thinking industry through capacity building, knowledge development and research.
According to him “For us in IFMA, Nigeria Chapter, we are celebrating the day with a strong sense of commitment towards improved health and safety in the built environment, effective activation of business continuity and emergency preparedness. While we will continue to map out our critical path towards a better operating environment, we are also determined to achieve a sustainable and forward-thinking industry through capacity building, knowledge development, research and development.”
The President noted that between the last celebration and now, the body has been able to deepen its advocacy commitment through its knowledge-sharing session series.
“In line with our renewed purpose as a pioneer and foremost professional Association in Facility Management with global affiliation and in commemoration of 2021 World FM day, we shall be formally commencing our Mentorship Development Initiative (MDI) with twenty-four mentees from different background today.”
“In line with IFMA renewed purpose as a pioneer and foremost professional association in Facility Management with global affiliation, Adebayo posits that, “We will also be collaborating with one of the Lagos State Public Institution on a program tagged “A Day with Artisans ‘scheduled to hold by the early part of 3rd quarter. This and many more we shall explore for a better-built environment,” he stated.
Shina Atilola, the head of retail and consumer banking at Sterling Bank and Keynote Speaker, said digitization and COVID-19 fast-tracked the need for players in the built environment to capitalize on the emerging environment.
According to him, the pandemic provided an opportunity to change the narrative, hence FM professionals must be proactive. In order words, he states that FM professionals must leverage robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) for better outcomes.
In his speech, the special guest of honour, Architect David Lola Majekodunmi, Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), Lagos chapter, advised Facility Management practitioners to create a trust fund and invest more in research towards encouraging young Nigerians to be a part of Facility Management. He also urged all professionals within the built environment to collaborate effectively with facility managers and get them involved from the predesign stage of Construction.
Arch. Majekodunmi said local content should be embraced by players in Facility Management and the built environment in Nigeria. He equally called for collaboration with other professional associations in the built environment.
In his words, “we are trying to make good rules for Lagos State, in terms of physical planning and urban development, we succeeded in changing or reviewing the law, in 2010. However, there was a new physical planning law, but as I stand here today I can say there are over 5000 laws in Lagos State and Zero enforcement.
The Chairman also expressed disappointment about the National Building code which has been drafted thirty-six years ago but has not been approved to date.
During the panel session, Nike Adekanbi, the General Manager, Lagos State Infrastructural Asset Management Agency (LASIAMA), noted that FM professionals and others were frontline workers during the pandemic. According to her, proper maintenance sustains the life span of facilities.
As said by Professor Modupe Omirin, Head of Department, Estate Management, University of Lagos, there is every need for facility managers to be seriously proactive to ensure facilities are properly adaptable.
Engineer Felix Elerunndu, the chief engineer of Park Inn by Radisson while sharing his experience from the hospitality perspective of the impact of COVID-19 on the economy of facility management, said players in the sector had to look inward to stay afloat during the pandemic.
The event was rounded off with the selection of Mentees from Lagos State Technical Schools, 500 level Estate Management students and Masters in Facility Management students from the University of Lagos, and artisans. It is expected that these mentees will be trained and have a first-hand understanding of facility management from their mentors who have excelled professionally.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu is expected to be among the leading public figures attending the next edition of the Africa CEO Forum, which will take place on May 14-15, 2026, in Kigali, Rwanda
A strong Nigerian private-sector delegation will also take part, including Mr Aliko Dangote, Mr Wale Tinubu, Mr Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, Mrs Adesuwa Ladoja, Mrs Rachel More-Oshodi, Mrs Zouera Youssoufou, Mr Karim Noujaim, Mr Dany Abboud, Mr Ayo Otuyalo and Mr Chukwuerika Achum. Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, will also be present.
According to a statement on Tuesday, the 2026 edition will convene in Kigali to address a defining question for Africa’s future: how to achieve the scale necessary to compete, integrate and thrive in a fragmenting world.
It comes as global power dynamics continue to evolve, while the ability of Africa to rely on competitive, agile and internationally integrated corporate champions has become a defining corporate imperative. In this shifting global landscape, one lesson is clear: scale is no longer optional. It is the first line of defence.
Organised by Jeune Afrique Media Group and co-hosted by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Africa CEO Forum 2026 will convene Africa’s leading public and private decision-makers around a clear conviction: scale can only be achieved through shared African ownership.
The Forum will explore three strategic levers to build continental scale. First is shared equity, which will look to unlock cross-border equity investment to create multinational African champions. Mobilise African institutional capital across markets to strengthen resilience and enhance long-term returns.
Also, is shared infrastructure, which will take on designing complementary infrastructure to integrate African value chains. Champion transformative projects that serve regional, not merely national, needs and create truly connected markets.
Thirdly is shared frameworks, which is set to harmonise standards, rules and regulations to boost investor confidence and enable the free flow of capital, goods and services. Build future-proof digital rails for health, education, agriculture and cross-border payments.
Speaking on this, Mr Amir Ben Yahmed, President of the Africa CEO Forum, stated: “If Africa wants to compete in a world defined by scale, it must move beyond economic patriotism and embrace a new model: African capital investing together. Shared ownership, cross-border partnerships and continental ambition will define the economic future of Africa and the next generation of African champions.”
On his part, Mr Makhtar Diop, Managing Director at IFC, stated: “Africa has the capital and the opportunity to grow and create quality jobs. What matters now is putting that capital to work at scale. That means building trust, sharing risk, and investing across borders. The Africa CEO Forum brings leaders together to connect policy and private investment, and to help shape Africa’s next phase of growth.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, has directed the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to investigate the allegations of systemic efforts to undermine local barge operators at the nation’s seaports.
The Minister issued the directive during the recent 2026 First Quarter Citizens/Stakeholders’ Engagement, Sectoral Performance Review, and Ministerial Management Retreat of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, held in Lagos.
During the engagement, representatives of barge operators alleged that there was a coordinated and deliberate attempt by certain foreign interests to edge them out of business.
According to the Special Adviser to the Minister, Mr Bolaji Akinola, they claimed that these actions, if left unchecked, could significantly weaken local capacity and disrupt the balance of competition within Nigeria’s maritime logistics chain.
The operators expressed concern that policies, operational bottlenecks, and preferential treatment allegedly being accorded to some foreign-linked entities by certain terminal operators were creating an uneven playing field.
According to them, these challenges are gradually eroding their market share and threatening the survival of indigenous businesses.
Responding to the concerns, the minister emphasised the federal government’s commitment to protecting local investments and ensuring fair competition within the maritime industry.
He directed the council, as the port economic regulator, to carry out a thorough and impartial investigation into the claims.
Mr Oyetola stressed that any form of anti-competitive behaviour or policy inconsistency that disadvantages Nigerian businesses would not be tolerated.
The minister also reiterated the importance of stakeholder engagement as a platform for identifying sectoral challenges and shaping responsive policy interventions, stressing that the government remains focused on strengthening the marine and blue economy sector as a driver of national growth, job creation, and sustainable development.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Mr Peter Obi, has asked to know the real beneficiaries of the repeated payments made by the federal government to settle outstanding debts in the power sector.
Over the weekend, President Bola Tinubu approved the payment of N3.3 trillion for the “full and final” payment for debts in the electricity sector.
The action, according to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, was to ensure improvement in electricity supply in the country.
In a post on Tuesday, the former Governor of Anambra State questioned why the government is allegedly making the same payment it announced almost two years ago.
“On May 17, 2024, N3.3 trillion was approved for the same purpose. On July 25, 2024, another N4 trillion bond was approved to settle similar debts. There have also been other approvals in between, all targeted at addressing the same power sector liabilities.
“This raises a fundamental question: were the previous approvals mere announcements without execution?” he queried.
“During the 2023 campaign, President Bola Tinubu made a clear promise: that if he failed to deliver stable electricity, Nigerians should not re-elect him.
“Today, the reality is that power supply has worsened to the extent that there are even discussions about disconnecting the Presidential Villa from the national grid.
“Each time legitimate concerns are raised, what we see appears more like policy pronouncements than measurable progress.
“Now, again, we are confronted with another N3.3 trillion approval to settle power sector debts,” Mr Obi further said.
The chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) said, “These debts were largely accumulated under successive administrations of the All Progressives Congress between 2015 and 2025. This raises serious concerns about accountability, transparency, and effectiveness in public financial management.”
“It is important to note that government institutions and agencies, including the Presidential Villa, owe a significant portion of these debts. Year after year, budgets were made and funds appropriated. Why then were these obligations not settled when due? And from what source will this new payment be made? Are we resorting once more to borrowing to service inefficiencies?
“Key questions remain unanswered: How did the debt accrue? What is the actual total debt in the power sector? Which components of the debts are due to operators’ inefficiency and should be borne by them? Why have previous approvals not translated into tangible improvements? Who are the real beneficiaries of these repeated payments?
“Is the N3.3 trillion approved on April 6, 2026, the same as the N3.3 trillion approved in May 2024, and how does it relate to the N4 trillion bond approved in July 2024?
“Nigeria must move beyond recycled announcements and confront the power sector crisis with sincerity, transparency, and decisive reforms.
“Until we do so, we will remain trapped in a cycle of debt and darkness.
But with discipline, accountability, and the right leadership, a new Nigeria is still possible,” he wrote.
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