Facilities Management Crucial for Enhancing Property Value, Nigeria's Executive Order 11 Aims to Boost Maintenance Culture

Proper maintenance and management of facilities are essential for extending the lifespan of any property, whether private, residential, commercial, or industrial. Without these critical efforts, buildings are prone to disrepair. Owners and managers should prioritize maintenance to preserve a building's structural integrity, appearance, and functionality, thereby retaining its value.

Buildings naturally deteriorate over time, but neglect significantly accelerates this process. Former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari signed Executive Order 11 into law in 2022, addressing the dilapidated state of public buildings and infrastructure. This order, the first of its kind with a policy framework for national infrastructure maintenance, mandates Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to establish maintenance departments.

The Executive Order also requires the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation to create a department for federal public assets maintenance. This initiative aims to strengthen and sustain the development and management of the country's infrastructure, highlighting the direct link between facilities management and enhanced property value.

Facilities Management (FM) encompasses multidisciplinary activities within the built environment. Its goal is to improve quality of life and productivity by ensuring that support services and logistics are effectively delivered and efficiently operated. FM is closely related to property management and is integral to managing properties, assets, infrastructure, and public facilities. Institutionalizing a maintenance culture leads to longer economic life for buildings, lower depreciation costs, and consequently, higher productivity and profitability, reducing expenditures on replacements.