Leading corporate brands, including the African Export-Import Bank, Berger Paints Nigeria Plc, and Julius Berger Facilities Management, have converged in Lagos to chart a sustainable investment pathway for Nigeria’s rapidly growing facility management industry.

The industry giants gathered at the 2026 World Facility Management Day celebration, organised by the International Facility Management Association, Nigeria Chapter, at the Alliance Française Mike Adenuga Centre in Ikoyi.

Stakeholders at the event argued that the facility management market has transitioned from a basic maintenance sector into a critical asset class that directly impacts corporate profitability, infrastructure longevity, and environmental sustainability.

The President of IFMA Nigeria, Sheriff Daramola, said, “Facility management has evolved significantly in about three decades from informal maintenance practices into a strategic discipline that delivers measurable value across sectors.”

“It is now a core driver of resilience in banking, healthcare, transportation, education, oil and gas, telecommunications, and public infrastructure.”

Daramola stressed that to fully unlock the market’s multi-billion-naira potential, operators must aggressively transition toward global best practices.

“Strengthening Nigeria’s facility management sector requires deliberate investment in indigenous skill development, technology adoption, renewable energy systems, and circular economy initiatives,” he added.

Supporting this position, the Managing Director of IFMA EMEA, Laura Paeman, pointed out that corporate occupiers are increasingly demanding human-centric and adaptable spaces.

“Facility management professionals play a critical role in creating environments that are welcoming, respectful, and supportive of people’s well-being. The future of facility management lies in building workplaces and communities that are human-centred, sustainable, and adaptable to evolving societal needs,” Paeman stated.

The discussion shifted heavily toward sustainable assets and climate financing, with the Lagos State Government warning that real estate developments must adapt to environmental pressures to preserve their market value.

The Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, represented by the Deputy Director, Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources, Akinwumi Babatunde, cautioned that fast-paced urbanisation is placing significant strain on the city’s infrastructure.

“With about 22 million persons in Lagos, there is a lot of pressure on the environment,” Wahab noted. “Facility management professionals must deliberately factor in climate risk and adopt green facility practices to ensure long-term asset survival.”

Concluding the event’s policy discourse, the Special Adviser on Climate Change and Circular Economy to the Lagos State Governor, Titilayo Oshodi, emphasised that corporate profitability and public responsibility must merge, saying, “Sustainable environments can only be achieved when communities and corporate operators are actively connected to and take responsibility for the spaces they occupy.”

The high-level market dialogue drew participation from top executives across Nigeria’s corporate landscape, including Femi Owopetu of ST&T, Alaba Fagun of Berger Paints, Oluseun Alabi of Afreximbank, Emad Yassin of Provast Limited, and Engr. Aminat Dottie of Julius Berger Facilities Management.