IFMA Nigeria Inaugurates Abuja Branch, Calls for Technology-Driven Facility Management Practice

<em>L-R: Member, Board of Trustees, IFMA Nigeria, Mr. Tayo Bright; President, IFMA Nigeria, ⁠Engr. Sheriff Daramola; Past President, IFMA Nigeria and Olu of Olowo Town, Ogun State, HRM, Oba (Engr.) Ebenezer O. Soetan; Coordinator, IFMA Nigeria, Abuja Branch, ⁠Engr. (Dr.) Oluwaseun Yinka Alabi; Coordinating Secretary, IFMA Nigeria, Abuja Branch, Nnaemeka Samson Ebechidi; Coordinating Treasurer, IFMA Nigeria, Abuja Branch, ⁠Towobola Adefeegbe and Past President, IFMA Nigeria, ⁠ESV Stephen Ola Jagun during the Inauguration of the Abuja chapter and the 2026 Advocacy Day in Abuja recently</em>

The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Nigeria Chapter has inaugurated its Abuja Branch as part of efforts to expand the association’s national presence, strengthen professional engagement, and advance facility management practice in Nigeria.

The inauguration, held at the platinum LEED-certified AFREXIM African Trade Center, alongside the 2026 IFMA Advocacy Day, featured discussions on the theme, “Beyond Maintenance: Leveraging Technology for Sustainable Facility Management Practice in Nigeria,” highlighting the need for facility management professionals to embrace innovation, digital solutions, and sustainable practices to improve the performance and long-term value of buildings and infrastructure.

Speaking on the inauguration, President of the IFMA Nigeria Chapter, Engr. Sheriff Daramola, FMP, explained that the branch would serve as a platform for professional training and certification, industry collaboration, student mentorship and stronger networking among built-environment professionals in Abuja and the wider northern region.

Daramola added that Abuja hosts critical national assets including government ministries, hospitals, institutions, airports, and major infrastructure that require strategic facility management.

That sustainable facility management must incorporate energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management, asset longevity and safe, healthy indoor environments, while ensuring that solutions respond to Nigeria’s operating conditions, including energy reliability, infrastructure constraints and operating costs.

He called on government institutions, property owners, businesses, educational institutions and service providers to work with facility management professionals in improving the planning, operation and maintenance of public and private assets.

“We must also recognise that sustainable facility management goes beyond routine maintenance. It requires deliberate attention to energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management, procurement, asset longevity and the provision of safe and healthy environments. Our approach must, however, reflect Nigeria’s realities, including energy reliability, infrastructure constraints and operating costs,” he said.

In his special remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Housing and Urban Development, Dr. Shuaib Mohammad Lamido Belgore, represented by the Director and Head of Department the Federal Public Assets Maintenance Department, Arch. Chioma Wogu-Ogbonna, noted that the Federal Government prioritises technology-driven and preventive maintenance to improve the management of public assets across the country.

She added that the Ministry is advancing the use of digital maintenance systems while pursuing partnerships with IFMA to strengthen professional standards, build capacity and support the implementation of policies that promote sustainable facility management across federal assets.

In his address, Coordinator of the IFMA Nigeria Chapter, Abuja Branch, Engr. (Dr.) Oluwaseun Yinka Alabi, FNSE, stated that the newly inaugurated leadership was committed to laying a strong foundation for the branch through structured membership mobilisation, stakeholder engagement, professional development and strategic collaboration.

Alabi promised to work with Nnaemeka Samson Ebechidi, Branch Coordinating Secretary and ⁠Towobola Adefeegbe, Branch Coordinating Treasurer to establish the necessary operational structures and create an inclusive platform that would strengthen the association’s presence in the Federal Capital Territory.

“Effective immediately, we shall commence a structured membership mobilisation drive through constructive engagement, strategic outreach and purposeful collaboration with professionals and other relevant stakeholders. We shall consult and engage stakeholders towards a common goal: strengthening our institution and repositioning facilities management as a strategic partner in organisational growth, operational efficiency and sustainable development,” he added.

At the event, IFMA Nigeria Chapter recognized some of her members that have contributed to the FM practice in Abuja.

Notably amongst them are Engr. (Dr.) Samson Opaluwah. He was awarded the IFMA Nigeria Life-Time membership at the event. Others are Ahmed Abubakar, Muhammed Usman and the late Collins Osayamwen, (IFMA Fellow).

Students in the built environment from the University of Abuja participated in the events.

The Olu of Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland, His Royal Majesty, Alayeluwa Oba (Dr.) Kehinde Gbadewole Olugbenle (Asade Agunloye IV), IFMA Nigeria BoT Chair, was represented by Olu of Olowo Town and Past President, IFMA Nigeria, HRM, Oba (Engr.) Ebenezer O. Soetan, and ESV. Abel Olawaye, FNIESV.

Alongside the event, there were facility tours of the African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) and the Platinum LEED-certified AFREXIM African Trade Center to experience first-hand how infrastructures are optimizing energy performance, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, sustainability, innovations, technology solutions, smart sensors, IoT and are indoor air environmental quality are shaping the future of facility management in Nigeria.

Photo caption: L-R: Member, Board of Trustees, IFMA Nigeria, Mr. Tayo Bright; President, IFMA Nigeria, ⁠Engr. Sheriff Daramola; Past President, IFMA Nigeria and Olu of Olowo Town, Ogun State, HRM, Oba (Engr.) Ebenezer O. Soetan; Coordinator, IFMA Nigeria, Abuja Branch, ⁠Engr. (Dr.) Oluwaseun Yinka Alabi; Coordinating Secretary, IFMA Nigeria, Abuja Branch, Nnaemeka Samson Ebechidi; Coordinating Treasurer, IFMA Nigeria, Abuja Branch, ⁠Towobola Adefeegbe and Past President, IFMA Nigeria, ⁠ESV Stephen Ola Jagun during the Inauguration of the Abuja chapter and the 2026 Advocacy Day in Abuja recently.