Understanding Nexus between Property Management and Facility Management in Nigeria: An Estate Surveyor & Valuer’s Perspective
By ESV Sunday Oluwafemi OLAPADE,
Introduction
Property management and facility management are often spoken of interchangeably in Nigeria’s built-environment circles, but they are distinct disciplines that overlap strategically. Property management traditionally focuses on the commercial and legal stewardship of real estate assets rent collection, tenancy, lease negotiations, and value protection while facility management concentrates on the operational performance, service delivery, and technical upkeep of buildings and their systems. For Estate Surveyors and Valuers (ESVs) in Nigeria, the intersection of these fields is increasingly important: effective facility management (FM) preserves the physical asset and operating income that valuations depend on, while strong property management (PM) secures cashflow and regulatory compliance that underpin market value. This article examines that nexus in Nigeria’s regulatory, technological, and socio-economic environment, highlights challenges and opportunities, and sets out practical recommendations for ESVs seeking to bridge PM and FM to protect and enhance property value (NIESV, 2024; IFMA Nigeria, 2024).
Defining the disciplines and why the distinction matters
Property management (PM) in the Nigerian context covers lease administration, landlord-tenant relations, revenue management, statutory compliance, and strategic asset planning. Facility management (FM) on the other hand deals with the physical and technical services that keep a building functioning: maintenance regimes, energy and utilities management, cleaning, security, health & safety, and lifecycle planning. When FM is weak for example poor maintenance of electrical infrastructure or water systems, occupier satisfaction falls, vacancy rates rise, and rental yields decline; these outcomes reduce capital value as reflected in professional valuations (IFMA, 2023). Conversely, PM that ignores operational realities undermines long-term asset performance. For ESVs, recognizing both the contractual/financial (PM) and operational/technical (FM) drivers is central to an informed valuation.
Institutional and regulatory backdrop in Nigeria
Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON) and Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) remains the professional body defining scope, ethics, and standards for valuation and property practice in Nigeria. Meanwhile, professional FM communities such as the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) and the Association of Facilities Management Practitioners of Nigeria (AFMPN) are consolidating FM as a recognized professional practice locally. These institutions drive training, standards awareness, and cross-discipline collaboration preconditions for integrating PM and FM (AFMPN, 2024). Additionally, national building codes and energy efficiency initiatives are creating compliance baselines that ESVs must factor into valuations (Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, 2024).
How the nexus affects valuation: practical channels
From an ESV’s perspective, FM influences PM outcomes and therefore market value through operating costs, obsolescence, occupancy, regulatory compliance, and sustainability performance. For instance, poor FM accelerates physical deterioration, while effective FM enhances occupier satisfaction and asset longevity (Oladipo & Adebayo, 2023).
The Nigerian reality: operational constraints and context
Nigeria’s FM and PM interface faces challenges such as unreliable infrastructure, fragmented regulatory enforcement, skills gaps, funding constraints, and uneven digital adoption (Adebisi, 2022). These issues create inconsistent service delivery, variable asset outcomes, and valuation uncertainty.
Digital transformation: opportunity and barrier
Digital tools like Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), Building Information Modelling (BIM), and IoT sensors are transforming FM globally. In Nigeria, adoption remains limited due to cost and technical barriers, but successful case studies show efficiency gains where implemented (Ede & Okafor, 2023). For ESVs, integrating FM data enhances evidence-based valuation. Key challenges include the lack of standardized FM reporting, limited incentives for energy retrofits, skills shortages, and weak code enforcement. Policy actions should target FM reporting standards, training, and energy efficiency incentives (Federal Ministry of Housing, 2024).
Sustainability, ESG and building performance
With global shifts toward sustainable real estate, Nigeria’s Building Energy Efficiency Code promotes energy-conscious FM. ESVs should factor energy efficiency, ESG compliance, and retrofit costs into valuations (UNEP, 2023).
Roles and competencies for Estate Surveyors & Valuers
To bridge PM and FM effectively, ESVs must develop technical literacy, digital FM skills, sustainability expertise, and interdisciplinary collaboration with engineers and FM professionals (IFMA Nigeria, 2024).
Practical recommendations for integrating PM and FM into valuation practice
Recommendations include making FM evidence part of valuation files, using lifecycle costing, assessing service-level agreements, documenting compliance, leveraging PropTech, and promoting capacity building (NIESV, 2024).
Conclusion
The nexus between PM and FM is central to asset value in Nigeria. For ESVs, FM is a principal determinant of operating costs, regulatory risk, and sustainability credentials. Integrating FM evidence into valuation enhances asset longevity, income, and market value (NIESV, 2024; IFMA Nigeria, 2024).
References
Adebisi, T. (2022). Challenges in Facility Management Practice in Nigeria. Journal of Property and Facility Studies, 5(2), 88–102.
AFMPN. (2024). Association of Facilities Management Practitioners of Nigeria Annual Report. Lagos: AFMPN.
Ede, C., & Okafor, J. (2023). Adoption of Digital Tools for Facilities Management in Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Built Environment, 12(1), 44–59.
Federal Ministry of Housing. (2024). National Building Code and Energy Efficiency Guidelines. Abuja Government Press.
IFMA Nigeria. (2024). Facilities Management Professional Standards and Practice Guide. Lagos: IFMA Nigeria Chapter.
NIESV. (2024). Professional Practice and Ethics for Estate Surveyors and Valuers in Nigeria. Abuja: Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers.
Ogunleye, F., & Musa, K. (2023). Facility Management and Property Value Retention in Lagos. West African Property Research Journal, 6(3), 21–35.
Oladipo, M., & Adebayo, R. (2023). The Role of Facility Management in Real Estate Value Creation in Nigeria. Property Management Review, 8(2), 99–115.
UNEP. (2023). Building Energy Efficiency in Africa: Regional Outlook. Nairobi: United Nations Environment Programme.