Special Focus on value-driven Facility management Companies Driving Nigeria’s Economic Growth

MAX-MIGOLD: Creating Value Through Bespoke Facility Management Services for Organizational Well-being

With a mission to create value for all stakeholders in the physical facilities value chain by maximizing efficiency and unlocking savings potential in the management of facilities, Max-Migold Limited has over the years built a reputation as one of the most trusted and value-driven operators in the Nigerian facilities management industry.

Max-Migold collaborates with IFMA Nigeria, Greater Accra, and other organizations across the continent to provide local Facility Management (FM) training, as well as a comprehensive FM Mastercraft Program that provides internships and job placements. The company, led by Paul Erubami, a certified facilities manager and IFMA qualified instructor, offers a variety of services such as facility quality audits, training and recruitment, facilities advisory, facility management technology, CAFM and CMMS deployment, project management, facility condition assessment, and energy management.

According to the CEO, who is also an adjunct lecturer at the University of Lagos, where he teaches practical facility management courses to Masters in Facility Management (MFM) students, the company provides practical results-oriented technology solutions, consulting, and training that translate into immediate economic, social, and environmental bottom line earnings for its many clients, including multinationals. These are companies that yearn for cost optimization, sustainability, value creation and human capital development.

“We have adopted high-impact strategic social responsibility programs such as the annual giving back series, free training for women, FM diversity scholarship, free webinars, discount offers, and flexible payment options for people in the lower rung of society who still aspire to get trained and certified as facility managers,” he said of the strategies that have sustained the company’s reputation over the years.

“Our consultants and trainers have over 100 years of combined practical experience, and our value propositions include practical, blended learning, coaching, and lifetime mentoring to help facility managers grow professionally and gain exposure to best practices. Furthermore, our training is supported by professionally endorsed certifications.

“We work with organizations to reduce costs, achieve sustainability, and develop human capital by providing practical, results-oriented advisory services that have an immediate return on investment. Property developers, investors and end-users benefit from our expertise in building commissioning, operational readiness planning, and technology adoption from design to operations, energy efficiency and cost reduction across the building life cycle”, the Ambrose Alli University trained architect added.

Despite numerous operational challenges that have crippled a number of businesses in the country, Max-Migold has consistently demonstrated the determination and desire to become a leader in the facilities management industry. This is not surprising given that the top management executives have unrivalled industry experience, particularly Erubami, who has over 20 years of experience working in strategy implementation, operations system and process deployment, and change management for oil and gas, telecoms, and corporate real estates.

He holds the Charter of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). He is also a Certified Facility Manager of the Institute of Workplace and Facility Management (IWFM). As a certified instructor of the International Facility Management Association, he teaches the Essentials of Facility Management (EoFM), Facility Management Professional (FMP), Sustainability Facility Professional (SFP) and the Certified Facility Manager (CFM) credentials with FM Learning System (FMLS) programs.

“We are gradually shaping the future of facility management in Nigeria and by extension the African continent with our investments in energy efficiency, Internet of Things (IoT), Building Information Modelling (BIM) and other smart technologies platforms for managing buildings and other built environment assets sustainably. Facility management firms help increase clients’ efficiency and productivity by ensuring that the best product and solutions are introduced into the working environment. At Max-Migold, we offer workplace productivity training, and we advise organizations on how to manage office spaces effectively”, he said.

Commenting on the challenges faced in the industry, Erubami who holds a master’s degree in Industrial Engineering and Operations Management from the University of Nottingham explained that the facility management industry in Nigeria is at its infancy stage. “Awareness is low and a larger percentage of facility management practitioners find themselves in the profession accidentally; as a result, they are not prepared for the tasks at hand. Other issues in the industry include lack of transparency and accountability in service charge administration, inadequate representation of facility managers operating at the strategic level, as well as low adoption of facility management technologies”, he emphasized.

On the way forward, he emphasized on the need for the establishment of facility management training centres, firms, and departments in higher institutions, effective deployment of facility management technology solutions, and the need to increase awareness about the importance of facility managers to the well-being of a workplace.

PROVAST LIMITED: Providing World Class Facility Management Services With Personalised Solutions

Provast Limited is an integrated Facility Management Company and Real Estate Consulting firm founded in 1997 by Shell Trustees Nigeria Ltd (now Shell Nigeria Closed Pension Fund Administrators Limited (SNCPFA) and Panther Investments Limited. Having established a reputation as a brand that prioritizes the satisfaction of her numerous clients, the company has expanded its operations over the years to include renovation works aimed at redesigning spaces and transforming houses into homes through specialists in this field. Provast prides itself on being the ideal property manager with global expertise, with clients spanning major sectors of the Nigerian economy, including multinational corporations. Andrea Geday, Managing Director of Provast Limited, discusses the company’s position as an industry leader and its impact in promoting facility management in Nigeria.

As a stakeholder in the facility management, what are the value propositions that distinguish your brand in the industry?

Provast, one of Nigeria’s pioneer facility management companies, was founded 25 years ago out of a recognition of the need for facility management services and has since carved a niche in the industry with her strong technical team and ISO Certification, among other things. As a member of the El Alan Construction Group, we are up to date on new construction practices and thus capable of managing cutting-edge building maintenance solutions.

What strategies have you adopted over the years that have helped in expanding your portfolio at Provast Limited?

We don’t compromise on quality of service, which has helped us build and maintain year-long relationships that have resulted in referrals from existing clients. We only use genuine spare parts and always use the OEM for asset maintenance.
Our employees’ well-being is important, and as Eraldo Banovac stated, “motivating employees to work at their full potential is the main premise of successful management.” We value our employees and their contributions to the company’s success; as a result, our employees undergo continuous training to expand their knowledge.
Furthermore, we constantly follow up on site requests and we have continued to increase awareness on the importance of facility management via social media, our website, and other digital platforms, as well as exhibitions and conferences.

How is Provast helping its clients increase efficiency and productivity?

We assess a site’s requirements, make recommendations to the client, and walk them through the process of determining the best solution for them. For example, we recently offered an alternative energy savings solution (not limited to solar or hybrid) to one of our clients and were able to save up to 48% on diesel.

What are the major challenges currently faced in the industry and what would you suggest as the way forward?

The high cost of diesel makes running facilities difficult because service charges are inflated due to power generation costs. Due to the lopsided expenses for diesel, you rarely cater for regular maintenance needs with these costs in play.
Many landlords in Nigeria do not see the need to spend money on building maintenance after the initial investment. The culture appears to be one of milking the asset for revenue with no significant funds set aside each year to maintain the building. We hope that increased facility maintenance awareness will correct the non-responsiveness to building maintenance.

Where do you see the facility management industry in Nigeria in the next 10 years?

We anticipate a significant increase in facility management as a result of recent legislation and public awareness, which can be attributed to the unfortunate building collapses in Lagos.
The benefits of maintained buildings over non-maintained buildings, as well as landlord experiences, will validate the need for facility maintenance. As a result, we anticipate continued growth in the coming years.
After 25 years of service, we still manage several properties, and such sites will never compromise on facility management principles. We hope that such landlords and the quality of their buildings will serve as beacons for new investors to invest in facility management as well.