Evaluation of Facilities Management Practices in University Buildings in North Central Nigeria

University buildings represent a significant national infrastructure investment, and the quality of facilities management practice in North Central Nigerian universities directly affects academic performance, research output, and occupant safety. This study evaluated facilities management practices in five federal and state universities in North Central Nigeria: University of Abuja, Nasarawa State University, Federal University of Lafia, Kogi State University, and University of Jos. Facilities management was assessed across six functional areas: maintenance management, space management, energy management, cleaning and grounds management, security and safety management, and service contracting. Data were collected from 100 facilities managers, estate officers, and academic staff through structured questionnaires and physical facility condition assessments. Condition assessments rated 12 building components per university campus. Results showed that maintenance management was the weakest area in four of five universities, with a mean planned maintenance implementation rate of only 22% of scheduled tasks. Energy management was rated as absent or ad hoc in all five universities. Physical condition assessments revealed that 48% of assessed building components were in poor or very poor condition. Space management was identified as the area of relative strength, with structured allocation processes in three universities. Annual facilities management expenditure averaged 0.6% of building replacement value, far below the recommended 2 to 4% per annum. The study recommends dedicated facilities management departments with professional staffing and adequate budgets in all Nigerian federal universities.

Keywords: facilities management, university buildings, maintenance, North Central Nigeria, building condition