Why Nigeria must treat infrastructure management as a national priority – Engr. Ayanwole Lasisi

Nimot Sulaimon

Engr. Ayanwole Lasisi is a Project and Facilities Management Executive with over 16 years of experience leading infrastructure projects across oil and gas, telecommunications, construction, banking, and retail. He specializes in energy-efficient and sustainable operations, preventive maintenance, and portfolio management across Africa and the Middle East.

He holds an M.P.E., is an IFMA-Certified Facility Manager (CFM), and a Registered Engineer (COREN). In this interview, he discusses why Nigeria must prioritise infrastructure management.

You’ve spent over 16 years in project and facilities management across multiple industries. How do you see Nigeria’s current infrastructure landscape?

Across Nigeria, infrastructure is failing faster than we are building it. Facilities designed to last 20 years barely last five. Energy costs escalate unpredictably, and maintenance budgets continue to grow. Yet most conversations focus on constructing new assets rather than sustaining the ones we already have.

From my experience managing multimillion-dollar infrastructure portfolios in ports, telecoms, banking, retail, and oil and gas, I’ve learned a crucial lesson: strong nations are built not only by engineers who design assets but also by those who maintain them.

Can you explain what you mean by “infrastructure maintenance as a hidden crisis”?

Many Nigerian facilities, both public and private, operate with outdated maintenance practices, poor asset visibility, excessive reliance on emergency repairs, inefficient power systems, and inadequate sustainability frameworks.

The consequences are severe—productivity losses, safety hazards, environmental risks, and avoidable expenditure.

For example, at a major container terminal, sewage evacuation was done daily using expensive trucks. This was not only costly but also posed contamination risks. After a thorough root-cause analysis, we installed a modern sewage treatment plant that permanently resolved the issue and saved millions in operational costs.

Maintenance is not an expense; it is an investment in the longevity and competitiveness of national infrastructure.

What changes do you believe Nigeria needs in its approach to infrastructure management?

Nigeria urgently needs to reposition infrastructure management as a pillar of national development.

First, organizations must move from reactive to predictive maintenance. Tools such as IoT sensors, digital CMMS platforms, data analytics, and preventive inspection cycles are critical. At Food Concepts Plc, implementing these strategies improved reporting accuracy by 40 percent across more than 300 outlets and significantly reduced downtime.

Energy efficiency must also be treated as a strategic priority. With diesel costs rising, hybrid systems and smart controls are no longer optional. Projects I’ve led have delivered measurable improvements, including migrating to stable 33 kV grids, modernizing building management systems with 20 percent efficiency gains, integrating solar and inverter-based solutions, and eliminating unnecessary diesel dependence.

Sustainable operations are equally important. From wastewater treatment to waste-to-energy modeling, sustainability reduces costs while protecting public health. These programs are essential for long-term viability.

Finally, facility management must be recognized as a high-competence discipline. This requires certified professionals, regulatory frameworks, national standards, and documented processes. Professionalization ensures consistent, reliable outcomes across sectors.

What benefits can Nigeria expect if it embraces this new approach?

If we institutionalize these principles, Nigeria can extend infrastructure lifespan, reduce public-sector waste, improve safety and environmental performance, strengthen business competitiveness, and attract global investment.

Infrastructure development begins with bricks and steel, but national progress is sustained by the systems and professionals who maintain those assets every day.

What would be your key advice to policymakers and industry leaders?

Treat infrastructure maintenance as a strategic priority. Invest in predictive systems, energy efficiency, and sustainability. Professionalize facility management. And remember: a facility is only as strong as the people and processes that keep it running. National progress depends as much on maintenance as it does on construction.