The Nigeria chapter of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) has expanded its footprint with the inauguration of the Oyo State branch in Ibadan, the state capital, marking a significant milestone in the advancement of facility management practice and professional development in the Southwest region of the country.
The ceremony, which doubles as the chapter’s inauguration and first strategic meeting of the year, had in attendance the association’s National Executive Council members, professionals and stakeholders who are in alignment with IFMA’s mission to professionalise the built environment across Nigeria, transitioning the industry from traditional maintenance to strategic asset management and promoting a high level of professional practice.
Presiding over the inauguration, the President of IFMA’s Nigeria chapter, Engr. Sheriff Daramola expressed delight at the successful inauguration of the branch and commended members for their commitment to the growth of facility management in the country.
He highlighted IFMA’s global heritage, noting that the association is supporting over 25,000 members in more than 140 countries worldwide. He emphasised its strong global network being the world’s largest and most widely recognised association for facility management professionals with headquarters in the United States and its growing influence in Africa, Middle East and Europe.
‘IFMA members have taken positions of authority across federal, state, and private institutions, IFMA Nigeria is positioned to ensure our professionals are the first choice for global investors entering the Nigerian market’, Daramola said.
While corroborating the President, IFMA’s Legal Adviser, Barrister Sola Fatoki said that ‘since 1997 when IFMA Nigeria was established, the association has equipped facility management professionals with integrated knowledge spanning human behaviour, infrastructure, and the built environment’. He encouraged engineers, architects, surveyors, technology innovators, data analysts and allied professionals to see IFMA as their professional home and outlined the functions and responsibilities of branch executive committees’.
Fatoki also said that IFMA also has a growing influence and measurable contributions to Nigeria’s economic and professional landscape through sustained capacity-building initiatives, adding that the association has trained over 3,000 members nationwide and continues to uphold a strong pipeline of globally certified professionals holding Facility Management Professional, Certified Facility Manager, Sustainability Facility Professional and Essentials of Facility Management credentials.
Reinforcing its commitment to youth empowerment, IFMA recently partnered with the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board to deploy 40 technical and vocational graduates for intensive mentorship and digital skills training, positioning them for improved employability and long-term career growth in collaboration with IFMA’s corporate members and its digital partner, VENCO.
IFMA has continued to reaffirm its dedication to academic advocacy and future-ready education aimed at strengthening and modernising facilities management curricula in line with 21st-century demands.
The new branch’s executive committee is led by Mr. Babatunde Adejumo as Coordinator, with Engr. Ajiboye Olusola Akeem as Secretary, and Mrs. Adeniran Olaide as Treasurer.
Adejumo expressed gratitude to the national council for the opportunity to serve and pledged to ensure the success of the branch focusing on unity and the professional advancement of stakeholders in the
IFMA Nigeria is an affiliate of IFMA Worldwide where membership is open to people actively engaged in the application practice, teaching, and researching of facilities management principles and techniques for the built environment.
It is involved in periodic training, lectures, facility tours, interactive seminars, education, and research. All these are aimed at equipping relevant officers with current skills, knowledge and increasing effective practice of facility management in both the private and public sectors.
