Digital Transformation in Facility Management Practice: Examining Awareness and Usage of Emerging Technologies in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja

The growing complexity of modern buildings and the global shift toward digital transformation in the built environment has necessitated the adoption of emerging technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), Internet of Things (IoT), Computer-Aided Facility Management (CAFM), Artificial Intelligence (AI), smart building systems amongst others. However, facility management practice in many developing countries, including Nigeria, is still largely characterised by conventional and manual operational approaches. Hence, this study examined the awareness and usage of emerging digital technologies in facility management practice in Abuja, Nigeria. The study adopted a survey research design, targeting facility managers and users of facilities within Abuja. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analysed using descriptive statistics, Weighted Mean Score, and the Mann–Whitney U test. The findings revealed that although both facility managers and facility users demonstrate relatively high awareness of emerging digital technologies particularly smart meters, energy management systems, and security-related technologies; the actual level of usage remains low across most emerging digital systems. Technologies such as BIM, IoT devices, CAFM systems, and AI-based applications were significantly underutilised. The results of the Mann–Whitney U test further revealed statistically significant differences in awareness and usage levels across several technologies, indicating role-based variations in exposure and interaction. The study thus concluded that facility management practice in Abuja is still in a transitional phase of digital adoption, where awareness does not necessarily translate into practical implementation. Hence, the study recommends enhanced training, improved digital infrastructure, policy support, and stakeholder collaboration to bridge the gap between awareness and usage of emerging digital technologies in facility management practice.