e-Procurement adoption in the Nigerian building industry: Architects’ perspective

e-Procurement adoption by architects in the Nigerian building industry was investigated using data derived via a questionnaire survey of 75 architects in consulting and contracting firms, government and clients’ organizations. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson product-moment correlation and content analyses, and the results reveal that most of the organizations employing architects were not using e-Procurement. However, the very few adopters identified used e-mails and websites in communicating, exchanging project information, and sourcing for building services, materials and equipment. The key barriers to the uptake of e-Procurement among architects in the survey were unreliable power supply, low level of awareness among people; and the lack of forum to exchange ideas on e- Procurement use. The paper emphasized the need to address these challenges to ensure a critical mass uptake of e-Procurement by architects in Nigeria

Exploring anti-corruption capabilities of e-procurement in construction project delivery in Nigeria

The use of electronic (e-­) procurement to support the execution of supply chain management activities in the different industrial sectors is permeating all regions of the world. However, in countries in sub-Saharan Africa where there is a significant level of corruption and unethical practices in the procurement process, there is a need for a better understanding of how e-Procurement can help to check the incidence of corrupt and unethical practices in construction project delivery. This study relied on a cross-sectional survey of 759 respondents, including architects, builders, engineers, estate/facilities managers, contractors, construction/project managers, quantity surveyors, supply chain managers and others to identify and analyse the anti-corruption capabilities of e-Procurement in construction project delivery in Nigeria. The results of the descriptive statistics, relative importance index and principal components analysis identified 18 anti-corruption capabilities in e-Procurement in construction project delivery with the three most important ones being the capability of e-Procurement to ensure good inventory management/record keeping; accountability by providing audit services trail and minimise direct human contacts during bidding. The key underlying dimensions of these capabilities include the advantage of e-Procurement over the traditional paper-based method; transparent bidding process and increase in competition in construction project delivery process. The findings of this study have implications, especially, on the use of e-Procurement to curb corruption in construction procurement activities

Residential Satisfaction Among Low‐Income Earners in Government‐Subsidized Housing Estates in Ogun State, Nigeria

Governments in Nigeria have developed several mass housing schemes with the goal of providing satisfactory residential environment at affordable cost for residents in urban areas. However, there is little understanding of the extent to which such schemes are meeting the housing needs and expectations of the low‐income earners in this country. This study relied on a questionnaire survey involving 333 respondents to examine residential satisfaction among low‐income households in 10 government‐subsidized housing schemes in urban areas of Ogun State, Nigeria. The data were subjected to descriptive statistics, factor and regression analyses, and findings show that around 66% of the respondents were dissatisfied with the residential environment in the housing estates. Although the residents were most satisfied with the size of main activity areas and privacy in their homes, they were least happy with the economic environment in the estates. The regression model explained 89% of the variance in R2 with management of the housing estates, size of main activity areas, and privacy in the dwelling units and economic environment within and around the estates emerging as the top three factors with the most significant influence on residential satisfaction. The findings are instructive in providing a fresh insight into areas where specific attention is needed to ensure that future projects meet the needs of low‐income households in urban Nigeria

A Survey of Digital Technologies Used in the Procurement of Building Projects: Empirical Evidence from Nigeria

Background and Objective: In spite of the important roles digital technologies play in the procurement of construction projects, there is a limited understanding of the extent of their adoption in Nigeria. The aim of this study was to investigate the different categories of digital technologies used by stakeholders in the design, tendering and construction stages of building projects and factors that influenced the decision to adopt them in the Nigerian building industry. Materials and Methods: The data were sourced via a questionnaire survey of 213 professional consultants, client organisations and contractors in the Nigerian building industry. Descriptive statistics and relative importance index (RII) were used to analyse the data. Results: The findings show that 61.5% of the participants were architects and quantity surveyors and most of them used software packages at project design stage and communication technologies at the tendering and construction stages. However, besides email, only very few used web/cloud-based systems, applications and services at the tendering and construction stages of building projects delivery. The top four most influential factors in the decision to adopt digital technologies in the procurement of building projects were the benefits of these technologies in eliminating geographic barriers (RII = 0.861), enhancing efficiency (RII = 0.855), promoting good inventory management and record keeping (RII = 0.813) and effective communication amongst project team members (RII = 0.812). Conclusion: Stakeholders in the Nigerian building industry use more of project data creation and communication technologies than intelligent systems; and thus, significant barriers exist in the adoption of intelligent systems in the procurement of building projects in the study are

E-PROCUREMENT USE IN THE NIGERIAN BUILDING INDUSTRY

Since the mid-1990s, the use of the electronic procurement aspect of electronic commerce (e-commerce) in the different business and industrial sectors has increased globally. However, the extent of its adoption in the Nigerian building industry is not clearly understood. This study investigated e-procurement use in the Nigerian building industry with a goal to improve the general understanding of the extent of its adoption in this country. The research involved a questionnaire survey of 213 respondents drawn from consulting and contracting firms, client organizations in the private sector, and government institutions conducted in Nigeria in 2015. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and multiple regression analysis. The results show that the main users of e-procurement were quantity surveyors and construction/project managers in consulting firms. The most frequently used e-procurement technologies for advertising/announcing or receiving invitation to tender, exchanging project briefs and specifications, submitting/receiving tender/bids, and sourcing for materials and equipment were e-mails and websites. The type of organizations, top management support, and attitude towards current trends in e-procurement use in construction had the most significant influence on e-procurement adoption in the survey. The study concluded that only organisations with top management support and favourable attitudes towards the current trend in e-procurement use in construction, a good financial base, and information-technology-savvy staff would most likely adopt it in the Nigerian building industry

Assessment of the Sustainability of Public Housing Projects in Ogun State, Nigeria: A Post Occupancy Evaluation Approach

As the emphasis on sustainability increases among architects and construction professionals, the various ways for achieving sustainability in physical development projects have continued to engage the attention of scholars and researchers across the globe. However, in the context of housing in a developing country like Nigeria, there is a paucity of empirical studies on the sustainability of public housing projects. Therefore, this study aimed at identifying and analyzing the sustainability features of public housing projects in urban areas of Ogun State, Nigeria. A survey of 517 residents in nine public housing estates was conducted between December 2009 and February 2010 in the study area. With the aid of structured questionnaire, interview guide and observation schedule; data were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analyses. Findings show that public housing projects in the study area were evaluated to be sustainable in terms of affordability and building forms responding to site and climatic conditions. The projects were however found to be unsustainable in the use of asbestos-based materials, inadequate provision of domestic spaces and lack of basic social infrastructural facilities. The paper concludes that to achieve sustainability in public housing in Nigeria, there is a need for public housing developers to pay adequate attention to users’ domestic space and basic social infrastructural facilities need in the design, construction and management of housing projects. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n4s2p52

Factors influencing e-Procurement adoption in the Nigerian building industry

Against the backdrop of increasing adoption of e-Procurement in supply chain management, there is a need for adequate knowledge of the factors that influence the decision by organizations in the building industry to use e-Procurement. This study aims to fill the knowledge gap through investigating the factors influencing e-Procurement adoption based on the data sourced in a questionnaire survey involving 213 organizations in the building industry. The survey was conducted between June and November 2015 in Nigeria. Descriptive statistics, factor and categorical regression analyses were used to analyze the data. The results show that the three most important factors influencing the adoption of e-Procurement amongst the participants, in order of importance, were: the benefits of e-Procurement in enhancing efficiency in project delivery; eliminating geographic barriers and effective communication among project team members. The 29 factors were investigated in seven different dimensions - the benefits of e-Procurement use; level of awareness on e-Procurement in construction; and the availability and cost of e-Procurement applications emerged as the three most significant predictors of e-Procurement adoption in the survey. The study concludes by identifying strategies that should be engaged in increasing the uptake and maximizing the benefits of e-Procurement in the Nigerian building industry. 

Residential Satisfaction Among Low-Income Earners in Government-Subsidized Housing Estates in Ogun State, Nigeria

Governments in Nigeria have developed several mass housing schemes with the goal of providing satisfactory residential environment at affordable cost for residents in urban areas. However, there is little understanding of the extent to which such schemes are meeting the housing needs and expectations of the low-income earners in this country. This study relied on a questionnaire survey involving 333 respondents to examine residential satisfaction among low-income households in 10 government-subsidized housing schemes in urban areas of Ogun State, Nigeria. The data were subjected to descriptive statistics, factor and regression analyses, and findings show that around 66% of the respondents were dissatisfied with the residential environment in the housing estates. Although the residents were most satisfied with the size of main activity areas and privacy in their homes, they were least happy with the economic environment in the estates. The regression model explained 89% of the variance in R2 with management of the housing estates, size of main activity areas, and privacy in the dwelling units and economic environment within and around the estates emerging as the top three factors with the most significant influence on residential satisfaction. The findings are instructive in providing a fresh insight into areas where specific attention is needed to ensure that future projects meet the needs of low-income households in urban Nigeria

Gauging parameters for e-procurement acquisition in construction businesses in Nigeria

e-Procurement tools build on traditional methods of procurement by integrating the processes and people involved in construction businesses through Internet-supported information and communication technologies. In spite of how crucial these tools are there is a need to for strategic management decision making before they are procured and used because of the cost and technical implications involved. The study examined the gauging parameters for e-procurement acquisition in the construction businesses by firms and organisations in Nigeria. The study utilized a survey approach of actual users of e-procurement tools and technologies in the Nigerian construction industry. A total of 759 actual users were identified from several cities in the study area. Data obtained were analyzed in stacked bars, frequencies and categorical regression. The study presented the significant gauging parameters that can influence e-procurement technology acquisition. They include staff strength of the construction business, presence of quality internet facilities, security level and validation capacity of e-procurement transactions, supportive policy and legislative framework in e-procurement usage and computer literacy level of construction stakeholders participating in an eprocurement environment. In conclusion, the study developed a framework to guide construction businesses in e-procurement technology acquisition. Every construction organization should have unique metrics for measuring and predicting technology acquisition in order to avoid obsolescence and waste of scarce resources. There is a need for supportive policies and legislative frameworks that encourage e-procurement usage among construction stakeholders in the different countries