New AFMPN leadership pledges to address industry challenges, tap opportunities

The new leadership of the Association of Facilities Management Practitioners of Nigeria (AFMPN) has pledged to address the challenges and tap the opportunities in the industry in particular, the country and its economy at large.

The challenge, according to the association, are rapid urbanization, infrastructure deficit, climate change, and economic uncertainty while the opportunities are in the country’s young and vibrant population, an abundance of natural resources, and a resilient, entrepreneurial spirit.

“As facilities management professionals, we have a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact on our communities, our environment, and our economy. We must seize this moment to redefine our profession, to push boundaries, and to drive innovation,” Olumide Aina, the new president of the association, said.

Aina, who spoke at the inauguration and investiture of the new AFMPN leadership, committed to working with members, partners, and stakeholders to achieve the task before them. He pledged to work tirelessly to elevate the profession, promote excellence, and drive positive change in the industry.

He noted that facilities managers live in a world where the built environment plays a critical role in shaping economies, societies, and individual well-being, adding that facilities management is no longer only about maintaining buildings and infrastructure, but also creating spaces that inspire, heal, educate, and nurture.

This, he said, explains the need for the association to among other things, focus on professional development as a means enhancing skills, knowledge, and competencies to stay ahead of the curve.

The association will also focus on industry advocacy by promoting the value and importance of facilities management in Nigeria and Africa; sustainability and innovation for driving green practices, embracing technology, and fostering a culture of innovation.

Aina added that the association under his watch will focus collaboration and partnerships by building strategic alliances with government, industry, and civil society to advance their shared goals, just as they will focus on community engagement by giving back to communities, promoting social responsibility, and supporting the next generation of facilities management professionals.

“I pledge that we will work tirelessly to create spaces that inspire, heal, educate, and nurture; we will strive to make a meaningful difference in your lives, your communities, and your environment,” he assured Nigerians.

Earlier in an interview with BusinessDay on the sideline of the investiture event, Staphen Jagun, chairman, AFMPN Board of Trustees, had explained that unlike IFMA which is an international body, AFMPA is a home grown association aimed at showcasing what FM practitioners do locally.

“We reasoned that what the western world teaches us or we benefit from bodies like IFMA are based on their own environment and experience which are fundamentally different from ours. So, we wanted things that are tailor-made than can work here, but not in that environment,” Jagun explained further.

He cited examples of smart cities which are basically about isolated communities which is blind to African culture and environment which allow people to interact with one another. In Africa, he said, people know their neighbours and work with them. They also understand one another.

All these, he said, should be incorporated in the facilities management practice in Africa, pointing out that the whole idea of mixed use developments where people live, work and play are not African because in African villages, people go out to farm, go the market and do other things outside the home.

“This association was therefore brought about for the practitioners to grow their own local practice,” he said, disclosing that the profession is challenged by lack of cohesion among professionals and the penchant for everybody to become a localized king.

He noted that facilities management as a profession is multi-disciplinary and everybody in the built environment is supposed to work together to grow the profession for both individual and collective interests.