Examining the resilience of construction supply chains to disruptions triggered by Covid-19 in Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Disruptions are a concern to construction practitioners because it hinders work flow and construction activities. Research into disruptions in construction work tends to focus on the causes of disruptions in the flow of materials or labour. Another theme in the literature focuses on the relationship between disruptions and the performance of sectors in construction. However, investigations that examine the resilience of construction supply chains to incidents of disruptions are limited. This study aims at examining the resilience of construction supply chains to disruption triggered by Covid-19 in Abuja. The study adopted a survey approach, and data was obtained from structured questionnaires administered online to 90 stakeholders and 70 participants involved in different aspects of construction responded. The study found that contractual disputes and scarcity of materials ranked highest as the effects of disruption and that construction practitioners adapted to the disruptions majorly by reducing the number of material requisitions or by integrating equipment to cater for the shortage of workers. The study argues that members of construction supply chains responded to disruption triggered by Covid-19 with changes and adapted the way they worked or operated as acts of resilience.