Evaluation of Materials Management Practices and Resource Utilization in Small-Scale Building Construction Projects in Abuja, Nigeria
Abstract
The building construction industry has been identified as one of the engines of national development; however, building construction projects face persistent challenges, including cost and time overruns, storage inefficiencies, and poor resource utilization resulting from inadequate materials management practices. This study evaluates materials management practices and efficient resource utilization as essential determinants of the performance of ongoing, small-scale building construction projects in Abuja, Nigeria. A mixed-method research approach was employed: quantitative data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to 150 construction professionals, while qualitative data were obtained from semi-structured interviews with 21 key stakeholders across seven construction companies, achieving an inter-coder reliability of 80.95%. Findings established a high level of awareness and application of materials management strategies, including scheduling, ICT tools, Just-In-Time (JIT) delivery, Construction Materials Management Systems (CMMS), and site security. Key challenges identified include loss and theft of materials, inadequate storage facilities, delivery delays, poor site organization, and inaccurate cost estimation. Descriptive analysis showed high mean scores for project performance indicators: quality (4.21), timely delivery (4.12), and profitability (4.05). Spearman\'s Rho correlation confirmed a statistically significant positive relationship between materials management practices and project performance (r = 0.248, p = 0.002). Regression analysis further established that delay in material delivery, use of non-standard specifications, and overstocking/understocking jointly explain a substantial proportion of the variance in project time, quality, and productivity, respectively. The study concludes that proactive, technology-driven materials management systems are essential for improving construction project performance in Nigeria.