Exploring the perspective of lean construction techniques on the performance of construction projects in Nigeria

Abstract

The continuous poor performance of construction projects in Nigeria has given the Nigerian construction industry a source of concern, and the inability of the industry to promptly apply innovative strategies that will mitigate these concerns. Improving construction project performance, the concept of lean construction has emerged as a promising approach to addressing the industry's numerous challenges while also significantly increasing project efficiency. Lean construction, founded on the principle of maximising value while minimising waste, is closely aligned with today's global emphasis on sustainability and efficient resource utilisation. Hence, the purpose of this study is to investigate the perspective of lean construction techniques on project performance in some selected states in Nigeria. A quantitative approach was used to collect data from 294 participants. To analyse the collected data, the study used a descriptive-analytical method, specifically the Mean Item Score (MIS). The study also adopted the Kruskal-Walli’s test to determine the variation in the opinions of the respondents according to their location. The findings of this study revealed that root cause analysis ranked first with an MIS of 3.92. The study also revealed a shared perception among the respondents regarding the severity of the influence of lean construction techniques on the performance of construction projects in Nigeria. The findings of this study presented the perspectives of industry practitioners on the efficacy of lean construction techniques in improving project performance and also contributed to filling a significant gap in the current understanding of the lean approach.