The Group Managing Director of Alpha Mead Group, Engr. Femi Akintunde urged the government to empower Facility Management Professionals legally, politically physically and regulatory services for the sector to optimize her latent potential. This was part of his keynote lecture at the 3rd edition of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Nigeria Chapter Advocacy Day Conference with the theme, “The Economy of Facility Management: Harnessing the Value and Impact in Nigeria” which took place in Lagos recently.
Engr. Akintunde said there are a lot of infrastructural developments by the government but without the enabling environment for Facility Managers, it would amount to colossal waste. According to him, “Property appreciation depends on the quality of maintenance and there would be a significant economic leap if there is an enabling environment that will make businesses thrive, leading to increased profitability and productivity.”
The Alpha Mead boss encouraged other professionals to continually develop their capacity in the areas of renewable energy, as it is cheap and clean for humans. He said this would help to reduce the challenges associated with global climate change. He noted that corporate space management keeps shrinking as office space is being incorporated into residential spaces. In his words, “it is only the savvy facility managers that will make the best of this emerging reality.”
In his welcome speech, the President of IFMA Nigeria chapter, Mr. Segun Adebayo said, there is a need to consider the economy of Facility Management because it will ultimately lead to the transformation of the Nigerian economy.
“With the Presidential assent to Executive Order 11, the Facility Management economy will grow significantly if effectively implemented as it will generate more business opportunities for industry players and jobs for relevant stakeholders,” he added.
During the panel session, the Group Managing Director of Fenchurch Group, Mr. Olufemi Bakare, said, “there are a lot of renewable solutions that must be embraced so that there can be a significant drop in the cost incurred by organizations on running generators. According to him, “organizations are running on gas, solar and wind energies now and these sources of energy need to be more optimized.”
While speaking on the panel, the Vice President of the Association, Mr. Olalekan Adewunmi noted that the Association has worked in the last four years to enhance the capacity of artisans and most especially, students of the Technical Colleges across Lagos State so that they can contribute to the development of the industry with their requisite skills.
The Allied Market Research publication of June 2020 states that the “Facility Management Services Market in Nigeria valued at $8.45 billion in 2019 is projected to reach $12.66 billion by 2027”
Participants at the annual event include Corporate and Individual members of the association drawn from the private and public sectors of the economy.
