The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Global Conference is being held in Ghana from August 12 to 13, 2026, bringing together facility management professionals, government officials, students and industry players from across Africa.

The conference is focusing on how technology and young talent can help improve facility management and the way buildings and other infrastructure are managed.

Speakers at the conference said facility management had moved beyond simply repairing and maintaining buildings and had become an important part of helping businesses and public institutions reduce costs, improve efficiency and protect their buildings and equipment.

IFMA Conference: Early facility management key to protecting infrastructure - Tetteh-Agbotui

A key message at the conference is that young people entering the profession should use their knowledge of technology to develop simple and practical solutions to improve facility management.



Speakers also stressed the need for facility managers to be involved from the beginning of construction projects rather than being brought in only after a building has been completed.

They said early involvement would help ensure that buildings were designed to be easier and more cost-effective to operate and maintain.

The conference is also calling for stronger collaboration between the facility management profession and government, particularly in the planning and management of public infrastructure.

In Ghana, the regulation of facility management is also receiving attention. The Deputy Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources said the profession needed an Act of Parliament to provide proper legal recognition and regulation.

She said work was already underway on a draft framework that could provide the profession with the legal backing needed to support its growth.

Students from about five or six African countries are also participating in the conference to share their views, learn from professionals and discuss what they need to prepare for careers in facility management.



The conference seeks to strengthen facility management in Africa through technology, young talent, improved regulation and knowledge sharing, while positioning the profession as a critical part of how buildings and infrastructure are planned, developed and managed.









DR/MA