A CRITICAL SURVEY OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND ITS IMPACTS AND EFFECTS ON CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT: This study was conducted to critically survey the covid-19 pandemic and its impacts and effects on construction projects in Nigeria. Specifically, the study sought to examine the effect of covid-19 pandemic on the efficiency of construction projects and also, the effect of covid-19 pandemic on the cost of construction materials. The survey research design was adopted while the convenience sampling method was employed. A total of 127 construction professionals in Kaduna metropolis were consulted during the course of this study. Informed consent was obtained and objectively constructed questionnaire were distributed to the enrolled participants. The data collated were analysed using frequency counts and percentages, while the null hypothesis was tested using the chi-square statistical tool. The result obtained showed that there is a significant negative effect of covid-19 pandemic on construction projects in Nigeria. Additionally and specifically, the results revealed covid-19 pandemic affected construction projects in Nigeria in terms of project execution period and high cost of materials and expertise acquisition. In order to strike a balance between project owners, project managers and construction workers, this study recommend that Parties to contracts signed before the outbreak of COVID-19 must examine the normal grounds for time extensions and extra costs, as well as any force majeure and change of law clauses, to clarify how risk is shared between the owner and the contractor.