Improving construction project performance in developing countries: Contractor approach

Achieving project success remains the aim of every project sponsor. The sponsor engages different professionals in the built environment to this end. However, unforeseen factors modify agreed terms, causing delay and leading to loss of time and money. Delay causes an overrun of cost and time having a heavy financial burden on the client and other stakeholders involved in the project. Most times, the contractor is always the focus when this happens. At many other times, other stakeholders, who failed in their obligations, only surface after a study of the contract conditions is carried out. Thus, this study examines project performance in the construction industry in Nigeria, but from a contractor’s perspective. The study adopts a survey research design. A total number of 75 questionnaires were administered to contractors, who were members of the Federation of Construction Industry and other private sector organizations, but 37 were successfully retrieved and analyzed. The result shows that to improve construction project performance in developing countries, the following issues need to be tackled: design and installation issues, payment issues and construction difficulties arising from incomplete designs by consultants. The study recommends, among other solutions, the incorporation of contractors from the project planning phase and adoption of BIM, which is presently not prevalent in the industry.