By JKNewsMedia
FACILITY MANAGEMENT professionals from across Africa converged in Lagos last week for the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Global Africa Conference, where Julius Berger Nigeria (JBN) Plc featured prominently as both sponsor and key contributor, reaffirming its commitment to advancing Facility Management (FM) across the continent.
The event included extensive training sessions and expert-led panel discussions.
Past President of IFMA, Mr Segun Adebayo, described Julius Berger as “a big fish in the ocean” with a robust facility management structure spanning its regions, while commending the company’s unique perspective on sustainability within the industry.
Julius Berger Technical Manager, Facility Management, FM Lagos, Engr. Amina Dottie, highlighted in her address the company’s decades-long journey in Facility Management, emphasising that the practice has been central to its operations for nearly 20 years, long before many of today’s industry players emerged.
“For us as a company, you can’t just disassociate the Julius Berger umbrella or portfolio from Julius Berger Facility Management; it is an integrated part of our structure and values,” Engr. Dottie said.
She explained that the company delivers a complete project cycle from planning and design, through its subsidiary PrimeTech, to construction and ultimately operational maintenance, embedding sustainability at every stage.
To illustrate, Engr. Dottie cited the Lekki–Ikoyi Toll Bridge project in Lagos, where repeated vandalisation of power infrastructure had posed challenges.
She said Julius Berger collaborated with government agencies to conduct facility audits and recommend solution-driven reports, resulting in the installation of solar-powered CCTVs to monitor and secure the bridge’s lighting system.
The intervention enhanced safety, reduced dependence on traditional power, and safeguarded public infrastructure.
Addressing African students present at the conference, Engr. Dottie encouraged them to embrace continuous learning and collaboration.
“Don’t just stop at trying to develop yourself, go for knowledge. AI has made it possible to access almost anything to build understanding.
Collaborate with colleagues and other experts; FM is multidimensional, and it thrives on interaction. Don’t just let what you have learnt here slip; actualise it. Let it come to life,” she said.
During panel sessions, the Managing Director of the Lagos Metropolitan Transport Agency (LAMATA), Mrs Olukemi Ochie, stressed the need to embed facility maintenance into transport infrastructure from the design stage, including rail and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) assets. General Manager of the Lagos State Infrastructure Asset Management Agency (LASIAMA), Mrs Adekanbi Adenike, also recognised Julius Berger as one of LASIAMA’s most trusted contractors, commending the company’s contributions to strengthening Lagos State infrastructure projects.
Team Julius Berger at the IFMA Global Africa Conference 2025 included Engr. Amina Dottie, Technical Commercial Manager FM Lagos, Mario Plata, FM Ahuja, Vera Parmi, Commercial Manager FM Lagos, Mr Emmanuel Egbenuka, and Administrative Officer LDQ, among others.
