This study examines the impact of maintenance engineering on sustainable asset management, with a particular focus on the Nigerian context. Maintenance engineering is essential for prolonging asset longevity, improving operational efficiency, and supporting environmental sustainability. Despite its importance, Nigeria faces significant challenges including inadequate funding, lack of skilled personnel, weak policy frameworks, and a reactive maintenance culture that undermines asset performance and accelerates deterioration. Globally, maintenance frameworks are evolving through the adoption of advanced technologies such as predictive maintenance, digital tools, and sustainability-driven strategies. While Nigeria is gradually aligning with these global trends, gaps remain in policy development, capacity building, technology adoption, and sustainable financing. This review highlights these challenges and gaps, and recommends strategic reforms, investment in human capital, and integration of modern technologies to enhance maintenance effectiveness. Future directions emphasize renewable energy integration, smart technologies, water conservation, and Industry 4.0 innovations as pathways to modernize maintenance management in Nigeria. Collaborative efforts among government, industry, and academia are critical to institutionalizing best practices and fostering a proactive maintenance culture that supports sustainable development. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers intending to improve asset management and sustainability outcomes in Nigeria and similar developing contexts.
Ohuei et al. (Sat,) studied this question.