Build. Neglect. Decay. Rebuild. Repeat — Breaking Nigeria’s Infrastructure Management Cycle
In a recent Punch article, industry experts once again raised the alarm on a long-standing issue: the devastating impact of neglect and corruption on facility management in Nigeria. This systemic failure continues to rob our nation of economic value, public trust, and long-term infrastructure sustainability.
One example that perfectly captures the depth of this crisis was shared by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike. During a briefing, he revealed that the newly built Bola Ahmed Tinubu Conference Centre in Abuja, a flagship public project, had already fallen into disrepair. According to the Minister:
“The facility was politically handed over to an unqualified individual to manage… and now, due to mismanagement, it is undergoing costly renovations before being reassigned to a more competent manager.”
This is not an isolated case — it is a symptom of a larger, repeating pattern:
Build → Neglect → Decay → Rebuild
This cycle is unsustainable and economically reckless.
⸻
🚨 What’s Going Wrong?
• Political interference in facility operations
When facility management is based on connections rather than competence, the outcome is failure.
• Lack of preventive maintenance culture
Most public assets lack scheduled upkeep, which leads to faster deterioration and higher costs for emergency repairs.
• Weak procurement and vendor management processes
Projects are often awarded without transparent criteria, leading to poor execution, substandard materials, and short-lived results.
• No professional regulation or accountability
In the absence of a national regulatory framework, anyone can pose as a facility manager — with little to no consequences for poor delivery.
⸻
🛠 What Needs to Change?
To move Nigeria forward and protect our investments, we must:
✅ Institutionalize Preventive Maintenance
Facilities need long-term maintenance plans embedded from project inception, not treated as afterthoughts.
✅ Enforce Transparent Procurement
Vendor engagement must be competitive, data-driven, and open to professional scrutiny.
✅ Professionalize Facility Management
Qualified professionals with verifiable credentials should be responsible for managing key public and private assets.
✅ Establish Regulatory Oversight
There is an urgent need to pass and enforce the long-awaited Facilities Management Bill to guide the practice, set standards, and hold practitioners accountable.
⸻
🔍 Final Thought
It is not enough to rebuild what neglect allowed to decay. If we do not address the root causes of this cycle — poor governance, lack of planning, and politicization — we will continue to waste public funds and lose infrastructure value.
It’s time to fix the system, not just the buildings.
📎 Read the full Punch article here: https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/neglect-corruption-hindering-facility-management-in-nigeria-expert/%3famp
Neglect, Corruption Hindering Facility Management in Nigeria – Expert