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The internet’s revolutionary impact on communication, information access and business transactions exemplifies how technology can reshape human behaviour. Similarly, cyber-physical systems (CPSs) hold immense potential to transform our interaction and control of the physical environment. This study investigates the challenges hindering the adoption of CPSs in Nigeria’s construction industry, aiming to pave the way for a more sustainable future in construction.

This study examined challenges related to CPSs in Nigerian sustainable construction projects. Data were gathered through a literature review and a questionnaire survey of Lagos-based construction professionals (architects, quantity surveyors, engineers and builders). Statistical methods were used to analyse the data. Mean and standard deviation determined respondents’ opinions’ central tendency and variability. The data’s suitability for factor analysis was confirmed through Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) and Bartlett’s sphericity tests, indicating strong correlations between variables. Factor analysis subsequently identified key challenges hindering CPSs implementation in Nigerian construction.

The mean and standard deviation analysis findings indicated that the most significant challenges of CPSs for sustainable construction projects in Nigeria are lack of awareness, inadequate public–private partnership, professional complacencies, data overload and lack of capital. In addition, the analysis was also conducted using factor analysis, which includes five groupings: financial inhibition, management barrier, geopolitical inhibition, national security and lack of awareness.

This study recommended that the challenges listed in this study should be considered and worked on through financial, political and professional support of CPSs for sustainable construction projects, such as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) programmes and national awareness programmes.

Despite the growing use of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies in construction, the reasons behind adopting social media in this context and its real benefits for sustainable construction and productivity remain unclear. This study aims to examine how construction professionals perceive the impact of social media on sustainable construction and productivity in the industry.

This research used a mixed-methods research approach (qualitative and quantitative), resulting in the formulation of a well-structured questionnaire which was distributed to construction professionals. Ordinal regression and multinomial logistic regression were carried out to assess the impact of social media use on sustainable construction and productivity enhancement, as well as the extent of social media utilization in construction projects.

Through exploratory factor analysis, five distinct clusters of social media consequences were identified, namely: information and knowledge sharing, community engagement and morale, environmental and resource management, disruptive and stressful effects and communication and collaboration. Furthermore, the extent of social media usage is closely related to three key factors: community engagement and morale, environmental and resource management and communication and collaboration.

This study represents one of the pioneering research efforts in Nigeria to investigate the implications of social media usage in the construction industry. Thus, future studies can build upon this research to further contribute to the multifaceted dimensions of social media’s impact on the construction industry.

Despite the global shift toward smart building features and technologies, the level of awareness among stakeholders in Nigeria’s construction sector remains unclear, limiting engagement with these innovations. This study examines the awareness of smart building features and technologies, providing insights to address knowledge gaps and improve understanding within the sector.

This study adopted the quantitative research approach, using a questionnaire survey to obtain data from construction stakeholders that were purposively selected in Lagos State and Abuja, Nigeria. The collected data were analyzed using various statistical tools such as frequencies, percentiles, mean item scores, standard deviation and the Mann–Whitney U test.

From the result of the analysis, the study concluded that the most cognizant smart building features and technology were security doors, escalators and lifts, solar panels and energy-saving equipment, fire alarms, heating, ventilation, air and conditioning.

This study provides insights into the awareness of smart building features and technologies among Nigerian construction stakeholders, bridging theory and practice. It informs policy development, enhances professional knowledge and promotes educational initiatives. Its findings support sustainable construction efforts, potentially improving societal attitudes and quality of life.

This study uniquely explores the level of awareness of smart building features and technologies among clients and professionals in Nigeria’s construction sector. Identifying existing knowledge gaps provides critical insights that can guide efforts to enhance understanding and foster deeper engagement with these innovations.

The main aim of this research study is to comprehensively evaluate the level of awareness and practical implementation of mechatronic technologies in developing countries, with a particular emphasis on their application within the Nigerian construction industry.

Using a quantitative framework, this study uses a well-structured questionnaire that was administered to professionals within the Nigerian construction industry. Subsequently, the obtained data was subjected to in-depth analysis such as mean values and standard deviations, utilization of the Kruskal–Wallis H-test and application of the Shapiro-Wilk normality test.

Results from the study revealed a relatively fair level of awareness and implementation of mechatronic technologies among Nigerian construction professionals. Among the 22 mechatronic technologies surveyed, respondents exhibited considerable awareness and implementation of only a few, underscoring the imperative for further initiatives to enhance awareness of these technologies.

By focusing on a developing country context and specifically addressing the construction sector, this research offers novel insights into the opportunities associated with adopting advanced technological solutions in a unique setting. The findings of this study provide a foundation for future discussions, strategies and interventions aimed at fostering the integration of mechatronic technologies in similar contexts.

This study aims to identify and evaluate the key strategies to promote the implementation of automation techniques with reference to the Nigerian construction industry.

Pragmatic philosophical thinking using a mixed-method approach (a combination of qualitative and quantitative) was adopted for this study. The qualitative strand of this research was achieved using a Delphi technique while a well-structured questionnaire conducted among 191 construction professionals was adopted to attain the quantitative strand. Obtained data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages, mean item scores, Kruskal–Wallis H test and exploratory factor analysis (FA).

Results revealed that the “provision of funding and subsidies for automation techniques” “mandatory automation policies and regulations,” “creating incentives for adoption,” “formulation of programs to promote awareness” and “deploying gamification to boost employee performance” were the top five strategies to promote the adoption of automation techniques. FA revealed four principal clusters, namely, awareness and publicity programs, government regulations and standards, provision of education and training and awards and recognition.

This study provided a solid theoretical and empirical foundation that can be useful to construction industry stakeholders, decision-makers, policymakers and the government in mapping out strategies to promote the incorporation and deployment of automation and robotics in the construction industry.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first in developing countries and Nigeria to establish an ordered grouping structure of the strategies to promote the adoption of automation techniques.

Recognizing the importance of sustainable development, environmental economic practices have gained significant attention globally as effective measures to mitigate environmental degradation and promote resource conservation. Therefore this study identifies and evaluates the barriers hindering the implementation of environmental economic practices in the Nigerian construction industry.

A quantitative research approach, utilizing a well-structured questionnaire, was employed to collect data from construction professionals. The Shapiro-Wilk normality test was utilized to assess the normality of the data, while the Kruskal-Wallis H-test was employed to investigate potential significant differences in opinions among various categories of respondents. Subsequently, exploratory factor analysis was conducted to identify underlying patterns and relationships within the collected data.

The top five barriers were: prioritization of short-term financial gain over long-term benefits, inefficient and unreliable energy supply systems, inadequate disposal and management of waste, insufficient funding and investment and high costs associated with sustainable construction practices. Furthermore, four critical clusters of barriers were revealed, which are regulatory-related, financial and economic-related, technical and logistical-related and knowledge-related.

These clusters can guide policymakers, industry professionals and educators in developing tailored strategies to overcome barriers within each specific category, fostering a more holistic and effective approach toward sustainable practices in the construction sector.

The findings of this study were compared with results from similar cases in Iran, China and New Zealand to provide a cross-cultural perspective on challenges faced by different regions. This comparative analysis aims to identify both commonalities and unique factors, contributing to a much deeper understanding of sustainable construction practices on a global scale.

Digital technologies (DTs) have the potential to revolutionize various aspects of heavy engineering projects by providing innovative solutions to traditional challenges. Therefore, this study explores and identifies critical areas for implementing DTs in heavy engineering projects in Lagos State, Nigeria, to increase productivity, reduce costs and enhance project delivery.

A quantitative research approach informed the formulation of a structured questionnaire, which was then disseminated to construction professionals. The data obtained were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The relative importance index (RII) was employed to rank the significance of each application area. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) then grouped the various application areas for DTs before fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE) was used to evaluate the significance of the identified key categories.

Based on the RII, the top five significant application areas identified were project management, cost estimation and budgeting, quality assurance and control, risk management and mitigation and construction site management. These areas were further grouped into three clusters: pre-construction phase, construction phase and post-construction phase.

A majority of existing studies have been focused on regular construction projects, with limited research addressing the unique challenges and opportunities within heavy engineering projects. This study fills this gap by specifically examining the implementation of DTs in heavy engineering projects, offering sector-specific insights that are distinct from those in regular construction.

The paucity of artisans in some construction trades and the transitioning of the experience of the few for sustainability calls for concern. Mentorship programmes offer a promising mechanism to support construction artisans through those transitions. Mentorship may enhance artisan decent work and economic growth, like increased income for artisans. This is part of Sustainable Development Goal 8 (Goal 8). Hence, this study aims to investigate issues hindering construction artisan skills growth and suggest measures to improve construction artisan skills through mentorship mechanisms to achieve Goal 8.

The study adopted a qualitative approach and collected data via oral interviews with knowledgeable participants. The participants were consultant experts in mentorship and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) matters, construction organisation management staffers and construction artisans in the Nigerian construction industry. The study covered Lagos and Abuja and achieved saturation at the 30th interviewee. Also, the research utilised a thematic method to analyse the collated data.

Enhanced knowledge sharing accelerates junior artisans’ learning skills quickly, improving artisans’ performance, ensuring sustainability of the skills learned (knowledge retention), encouraging collaboration, building the next generation of leaders and transitioning of experience to mentees emerged as mentorship’s role in developing construction artisans’ skills. Findings show that mentorship mechanisms to develop construction artisan skills face encumbrances. The perceived 32 encumbrances were re-clustered into mentee, mentor and government-related encumbrances. Also, achieving Goal 8 regarding construction artisans may be threatened if these issues are not checked. Thus, the study recommended measures improving construction artisan skills through mentorship mechanisms to achieve Goal 8.

Identifying the major encumbrances facing construction artisan skills improvement through mentorship would be useful to advocate measures to improve construction artisan’s skills to achieve Goal 8.

Studies show that the twenty-first-century construction industry needs reskilling and upskilling tools to train large numbers of the workforce for better-integrated project delivery. Evidence shows that digitisation via the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technology can play a critical role in reskilling and competency demand. Attempting to use digital technology may have had some challenges. Studies about the perceived hindrances facing Nigeria's built environment professionals (BEP) reskilling and upskilling needs in the workplace via 4IR technologies are scarce. Thus, the study investigated the perceived encumbrances facing Nigeria's BEP training needs and proffered measures to improve their performance in the workplace via 4IR technologies.

The researchers engaged BEP in Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria. Regarding the data collection, a qualitative research design was adopted. The study achieved saturation after 32 virtual interviews. A thematic analysis was adopted for the collected data.

The study shows that using 4IR for reskilling and upskilling will enhance integrated project delivery. But the level of usage in training needs is low. Findings identified the various ways reskilling and upskilling could be achieved. Also identified are the major built environment areas that require 4IR training. Findings highlighted possible encumbrances facing the use of 4IR technologies by Nigerian BEP for reskilling and upskilling needs in the workplace and proffered feasible measures to improve 4IR usage for training needs.

The study is restricted to the perceived encumbrances and proffers measures to improve BEP reskilling and upskilling needs via 4IR technologies via a qualitative method. Future research is required to validate the findings and test the proposed framework that emerged from the study.

The study confirms that reskilling and upskilling measures are required at all skill levels and may lead to economic growth. The paper would advance Nigerian higher educational accreditation agencies and various BEP regulatory bodies to review the curriculum and incorporate 4IR as a component or module.

The thematic network analysis and proposed framework could be utilised to stimulate Nigeria's BEP reskilling and upskilling needs in the workplace via 4IR technologies. It would stir main stakeholders, especially government policymakers, to facilitate programmes to improve 4IR technologies usage.

This study aimed to investigate and analyze the level of awareness and adoption of distributed ledger technologies (DLTs) within the Nigerian construction industry. The focus was on addressing the current state of DLT utilization, identifying challenges and opportunities and proposing strategies to enhance the integration of DLTs into the construction processes and practices of Nigerian professionals and organizations.

The research was underpinned by a robust theoretical and conceptual framework, drawing from established theories of technology adoption. A comprehensive literature review guided the identification of various DLT types. This informed the development of a well-structured questionnaire, which was then distributed to Nigerian construction professionals. The collected data underwent analysis using percentages, frequencies, mean scores, the Kruskal–Wallis H-test and the Shapiro–Wilk test.

A significant finding of this study reveals a generally low awareness and implementation of DLT among construction professionals in Nigeria. These findings emphasize the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to bridge the gap between awareness and adoption of DLT within the Nigerian construction industry.

Industry associations, regulatory bodies and educational institutions can collaborate to develop specialized programs aimed at familiarizing professionals with the benefits and applications of DLTs. Additionally, technology providers and policymakers can leverage these findings to design user-friendly interfaces and guidelines for seamless DLT integration into construction processes.

This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing a comprehensive assessment of the awareness and adoption of DLTs specifically within the Nigerian construction industry. While the global recognition of DLT’s potential in construction is acknowledged, this research delves into a regional context, shedding light on the specific opportunities within Nigeria. Furthermore, the study’s identification of a gap between awareness and implementation highlights a critical area for future exploration and development in the field of construction technology adoption.