Artificial intelligence (AI) is gradually reshaping industries across the world, and the Nigerian construction sector is beginning to explore its transformative potential. A recent study by Kabir Ibrahim, Muhammad Yamusa, Oluseyi Julius Adebowale, Kahilu Kajimo-Shakantu, and Emmanuel Onaivi Ajayi provides important insight into the opportunities and barriers influencing AI adoption within the Nigerian construction industry (NCI).
The study investigated artificial intelligence in the Nigerian construction industry using a quantitative research approach within a positivist paradigm. Data were collected through an electronic survey distributed to professionals across government agencies, consulting firms, and contracting organizations. To frame the research, the authors adopted the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Organizational Change Management Theory (OCMT) to explain how individual acceptance, institutional readiness, and organizational culture influence AI integration in the construction sector.
Findings from the study reveal that artificial intelligence possesses significant potential to transform operational efficiency, project delivery, and decision-making processes within the Nigerian construction industry. Researchers observed that AI technologies can improve project scheduling, reduce delays, enhance cost estimation accuracy, strengthen resource allocation, and support smarter construction management systems capable of increasing productivity and reducing human error.
The study also found that AI could contribute to safer and more sustainable construction practices. Automated systems, predictive analytics, and intelligent monitoring technologies were identified as tools capable of improving workplace safety, minimizing waste, and supporting environmentally sustainable infrastructure development.
Despite these opportunities, the research discovered that AI adoption in the Nigerian construction industry remains significantly constrained by inadequate digital infrastructure. Limited access to advanced digital systems, unreliable internet connectivity, poor data management structures, and insufficient technological investment continue to slow the integration of AI across construction firms and government institutions.
Another major challenge identified by the researchers is the shortage of technical expertise and digital skills within the industry. Many professionals lack adequate knowledge of AI systems, machine learning tools, and data-driven construction technologies required for effective implementation. The study notes that this skills gap contributes to organizational resistance, uncertainty, and low confidence in digital transformation processes.
Beyond technical limitations, the research highlights the institutional and cultural barriers affecting AI adoption within the Nigerian construction sector. Traditional management structures, resistance to organizational change, and limited readiness for innovation continue to hinder large-scale digital transformation across many construction organizations.
The study concludes that Nigeria’s construction industry must prioritize stronger digital infrastructure development, institutional reforms, and human capacity building to fully harness the transformative benefits of artificial intelligence. Among its major recommendations is the need for construction firms, policymakers, and educational institutions to invest in digital literacy, AI training programmes, and innovation-driven organizational cultures capable of supporting long-term technological integration.
The researchers further recommend increased collaboration between government agencies, private construction firms, and academic institutions to accelerate AI research, digital innovation, and sustainable infrastructure development within Nigeria. The study also emphasizes the importance of strategic policy frameworks capable of improving organizational readiness and supporting wider adoption of intelligent construction technologies.
The study reinforces a growing reality confronting Nigeria’s construction industry: artificial intelligence is no longer a distant technological concept. It is rapidly becoming a critical driver of efficiency, competitiveness, sustainability, and modern infrastructure development in an increasingly digital global economy.
ThinkSpace Insights
- Artificial intelligence is emerging as a major competitive advantage within the global construction industry, and Nigeria risks falling behind if digital transformation and infrastructure investment remain slow.
- Successful AI adoption in construction will depend not only on technology acquisition but also on organizational culture change, workforce training, and institutional readiness for innovation.
- Long-term growth in Nigeria’s construction sector will increasingly require investment in digital infrastructure, smart construction technologies, and partnerships between government, academia, and private industry to build a technologically skilled workforce.
Read the Full Article via: https://www.emerald.com/jfmpc/article-abstract/doi/10.1108/JFMPC-05-2024-0037/1338528/Artificial-intelligence-in-the-Nigerian?redirectedFrom=fulltext
