Lagos has earned itself a position among the top destination for Fortune 500 companies seeking expansion in the Middle East and African (MEA) territories. Overall, there was a 17% increase in the number of companies in MEA in 2016 compared to 2015, with Johannesburg and Lagos being the leading destinations for Africa and West Africa respectively. This means Fortune 500 companies are actively seeking new markets to expand into.

A new report released by Infomineo, a global business research company specialising in Africa and the Middle East, indicates that the region has become increasingly important for the majority of global Fortune 500 countries. Typically Fortune 500 companies lease or buy Grade A office spaces.

The key features of Grade A office spaces include the following:

1. A landmark status or central business location

2. Good accessibility and adequate car parking

3. A modern BMS(Building Management System)to control access and security, fire, life safety and other building services

4. Provision of multiple power sources to ensure a constant power supply in the event of a local power grid failure

5. Provision of a raised floor with a minimum clear service zone of 90mm

6. Environmental Standards (AD) to achieve one of LEED Gold Standard BREEAM(Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) Standard, with a Very Good point mark.

7. The quality of build and minimum structural loading floor capacities for each office floor level with an area allocated for high loading levels on each floor.

The future prospects for Grade A spaces appear bright, and a number of office buildings including the international award-winning Nestoil Tower, standing tall in this regard. This Grade A building is a one-of-a-kind mixed-use development, strategically located at the intersection of two major business roads – Akin Adesola Street and Saka Tinubu Street- in Victoria Island Lagos, with a panoramic view of the Eko Atlantic City and the Atlantic Ocean. The development is targeted at dynamic businesses, multi-national industries, financial institutions that require top brand positioning and desire to be at the very heart of their target market. Sitting on a land size of 3900sqm on 15 floors, the Nestoil Tower is an iconic structure with 9904 leasable commercial spaces and 23 residential apartments to provide a flexible accommodation to occupiers.

With the likes of Nest Oil Towers, Heritage Offices, The Wings, Nipost Tower, Temple Towers and a handful of both grade A and B offices coming into the market, we can say that Lagos is getting ready for the influx of Fortune 500 companies notwithstanding the current challenging times in the office market.

Looking to develop, list or lease a Grade A office space in Lagos? Talk to us

Call David Mbah 08096000021

“For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned”
-Benjamin Franklin

As an investor, it is pertinent to know,  that you are probably not the only bargain seeker out there looking for great investment opportunities in a slow real estate market. You may have an edge on the sellers as cash is now king, but another buyer could snap up your great deal if you delay the buying process.

It is, therefore, important that once you’ve decided to look for great deals, you should get your down payment ready to move once a transaction is agreed. In the case of financing with a mortgage facility, you will need to have got pre-approved for the loan to prevent undue delays.

Real Estate transactions are better handled when you get a well-informed advisor on your side.  These professionals provide valuable information and let a buyer investor know early on in the process what to look out for and what they can use to their advantage. Researching your advisors is a critical element especially in developing economies like Nigeria. It’s best to get a referral rather than to rely on the internet wherever possible as integrity is still a big issue in our market.

At the baseline of Sustainability lies the Instinct to Survive; this was the lead conversation at the recently organized CEO’s roundtable discuss on Sustainability. Adversity triggers innovation and this was also a position taken by all the CEOs present. It was also gathered at the event that the greatest threat of all is Poverty of the mind. ”Nigeria alongside her businesses are desperately in need of Transformational Leadership because of the present situation we are in economically” this was the central focus of the keynote presented by Tonye Cole, Co-Founder Sahara Group.

He went on to illustrate that businesses that would succeed in this era are businesses that are have developed winning survival strategies and with a penchant for dynamism and Innovation.

These forward-looking businesses have certain characteristic traits in common and they are:

• Ability to foresee the future by reading the signs we see today
• Being consistently and deliberately relevant in your line of business
• Advocacy, adding value and Engaging with relevant stakeholders
• Knowing when to change strategy/tactics
• Opening up new frontiers and Markets
• Build Lasting Relationships – One key pillar to sustainability is lasting relationships, Relationships outlive Governments
• Grow your business while others are afraid
• Collaborate

During the plenary session on Investing in Talents for Sustainable and Competitive Advantage, Udo Okonjo, CEO Fine & Country WA gave an insight into how leaders of 21st-century businesses can leverage on a healthy, happy and properly engaged employee. She also said that CEO’s need to constantly think about going back into the Nigerian society and help build the fallen structures.

Speaking from her experience as a 21st-century business leader, she maintained that the companies that have a strong sense of purpose will retain people with a strong sense of purpose and the people with strong personal vision, tend to last longer in the company.

Mrs. Okonjo rounded off her session by touching point on the importance of creativity and its impact on the collective growth for both the employee and the employer. She said that ”Creativity is very important when you give employees an opportunity to contribute to the vision of the company so as to grow it; and the kind of people who will thrive in that environment are people who are Dynamic, Innovative and Creative”.

                                                    “If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on it, I would use the first 55 minutes determining the proper questions to ask”
                                                                                                                                                             – Albert Einstein
                                                                                                                                   ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTION 
Real Estate Buyers (Investors) more often than not have the lead in a recessive and challenging market but this doesn’t mean they should walk into a transaction inadvertently.

Prospective buyers are expected to search the internet for listings, inquire with a renowned property manager or agent and also check the daily property newsprints to gain insight on a particular location, property type and average asking prices.

www.fineandcountry.ng and Refined Magazine are good sources and many others. As a buyer, one of the objectives when asking questions before investing in Real Estate is to get to know the price range for the location you want to invest; in order to ascertain what is excessive and what is considered low. This investigation will help you make a reasonable bid and also provide the first perception that there is bargaining room on a particular property.
Other questions to ask should border on title, developer history, documentation fees, year of construction, facility management, service charges, transfer of ownership etc.

Subsequently, we will be discussing other important steps to take when considering an investment in Real Estate. These steps will centre on the following touchpoints:

• Getting detailed and organized
• Buy from Motivated sellers
• The Art of negotiating Well & Throughout the Transaction Phase
• Titling: Getting it right