POOR MAINTENANCE COSTS NIGERIA BILLIONS IN ASSET LOSSES

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Nigeria’s poor maintenance culture is costing the country billions of naira in losses each year through the deterioration of public and private assets, facilities management practitioners have said.

The President of the Association of Facilities Management Practitioners of Nigeria, Dr Olumide Aina, made the disclosure at the association’s annual conference in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Aina said facility management should be integrated into the planning, construction and operation of buildings to reduce waste, avoid unnecessary expenditure and preserve the value of assets.

He explained that facility management covers the operation, maintenance, repair and eventual disposal of buildings and infrastructure, involving professionals such as engineers, architects, estate managers and builders.

According to him, inadequate maintenance often leads to expensive repairs and replacement of deteriorating facilities. He also identified corruption as one of the factors affecting maintenance practices in the country.

Using the National Theatre as an example, Aina said the N68bn reportedly spent on its upgrade, renovation and restoration could have been reduced if proper maintenance had been carried out earlier.

The Chairman of the association’s Board of Trustees, Dr Tunde Ayeye, also stressed the importance of maintaining critical infrastructure, including refineries.

Other practitioners urged stakeholders to focus not only on constructing assets but also on maintaining and sustaining them throughout their useful lives.