“Nigerians, businesses need to be committed to 85% of maintenance cost of building for sustainable living”

For sustainable living in Nigerian cities and towns, Nigerians and businesses have been advised to be committed to the 85% of the maintenance cost of buildings through their life span. Mr. Oladipo Abdullah made this known while exchanging views with Infoprations on Sustainability and the future of Facilities Management in Nigeria.

Oladipo is the Operations Manager of Savvy Capire Limited, a facility management company in Lagos with presence in Kenya, South Africa and Ghana.

According to him, 15% of the total cost for a life time of a building goes to the initial building and all the engineering related activities while 85% goes to maintenance. “But, in Nigeria, this is not always obtainable like what we have seen in advanced countries like the United States, United Kingdom and South Africa, where maintenance of buildings is being prioritised.”

“A building is expected to last for at least 50 years throughout its design life. If the total cost of constructing, operating and maintaining the building is N350 million, only 15% of the cost goes to design, plan and erecting the building which is N52, 500,000. This is what the Chief Executive Officers and Captains of industries focus on, neglecting the whole junk of about N298 million of maintenance cost.”

He noted that failure to pledge the remaining 85% to operations, maintenance, repair or replacement of materials always subject buildings to environmental, political, economic and social forces which would have significant impact on the health and wellbeing of people and technologies in the building.