ISSN (Online): 3108-1584
Research Paper
Volume 2, Issue 2 - September 2026
Paper ID: CRSIJ26000479
Author(s): Salihu Muhammad Mari, Umar Abdullahi, Napolean Daniel Usman
Category: Environment
Research Area: Lean construction practices
Pages: 1099-1106
Published Date: 06-11-2026
Volume/Issue: Volume 2 Issue 2 September-2026
ISSN (Online): 3108-1584
This article is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Lean construction is widely promoted as a route to reducing waste and improving project delivery, yet evidence on how far firms in post-conflict, resource-constrained regions have adopted specific lean practices is scarce. This study identified the lean construction practices adopted by contractor and consultant firms in Adamawa, Bauchi, and Borno States, North East Nigeria, and tested whether adoption differs by firm size. A cross-sectional survey was administered to a proportionate stratified random sample of 187 registered firms drawn from a frame of 350; 154 questionnaires were returned and 149 were valid (82.4% response rate). Eight lean practice areas, measured by 24 items on a five-point scale, were analysed with means, standard deviations, rankings, and one-way ANOVA. Overall adoption was moderate (M = 3.46, SD = 0.735). Teamwork (M = 3.87), continuous improvement (M = 3.72), and waste reduction (M = 3.68) were the most widely practiced areas, whereas pull planning (M = 3.29), just-in-time delivery (M = 3.15), and value stream mapping (M = 2.98) lagged. Adoption differed significantly by firm size, F (2, 146) = 9.87, p < 0.001, η² = 0.119: large firms (M = 3.95) exceeded medium (M = 3.62) and small firms (M = 3.28). The results show a people–process divide in which behavioural lean practices are established but technical, flow-oriented tools are not. The study recommends targeted training in pull planning, just-in-time delivery, and value stream mapping, and capacity support for small firms.
Lean construction, adoption, firm size, contractors, consultants, North East Nigeria
Salihu Muhammad Mari, Umar Abdullahi, Napolean Daniel Usman, "Adoption of Lean Construction Practices and the Influence of Firm Size among Contractors and Consultants in North East Nigeria", Cosmo Research & Science International Journal, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 1099-1106, Sep. 2026.
Salihu Muhammad Mari, Umar Abdullahi, Napolean Daniel Usman (2026). Adoption of Lean Construction Practices and the Influence of Firm Size among Contractors and Consultants in North East Nigeria. Cosmo Research & Science International Journal, 2(2), 1099-1106.
Salihu Muhammad Mari, Umar Abdullahi, Napolean Daniel Usman. "Adoption of Lean Construction Practices and the Influence of Firm Size among Contractors and Consultants in North East Nigeria." Cosmo Research & Science International Journal, vol. 2, no. 2, September 2026, pp. 1099-1106.
@article{CRSIJ26000479,
author = {Salihu Muhammad Mari, Umar Abdullahi, Napolean Daniel Usman},
title = {Adoption of Lean Construction Practices and the Influence of Firm Size among Contractors and Consultants in North East Nigeria},
journal = {Cosmo Research and Science International Journal},
year = {2026},
volume = {2},
number = {2},
pages = {1099-1106},
issn = {3108-1584},
url = {https://cosmorsij.com/published/CRSIJ26000479.pdf},
abstract = {Lean construction is widely promoted as a route to reducing waste and improving project delivery, yet evidence on how far firms in post-conflict, resource-constrained regions have adopted specific lean practices is scarce. This study identified the lean construction practices adopted by contractor and consultant firms in Adamawa, Bauchi, and Borno States, North East Nigeria, and tested whether adoption differs by firm size. A cross-sectional survey was administered to a proportionate stratified random sample of 187 registered firms drawn from a frame of 350; 154 questionnaires were returned and 149 were valid (82.4% response rate). Eight lean practice areas, measured by 24 items on a five-point scale, were analysed with means, standard deviations, rankings, and one-way ANOVA. Overall adoption was moderate (M = 3.46, SD = 0.735). Teamwork (M = 3.87), continuous improvement (M = 3.72), and waste reduction (M = 3.68) were the most widely practiced areas, whereas pull planning (M = 3.29), just-in-time delivery (M = 3.15), and value stream mapping (M = 2.98) lagged. Adoption differed significantly by firm size, F (2, 146) = 9.87, p < 0.001, η² = 0.119: large firms (M = 3.95) exceeded medium (M = 3.62) and small firms (M = 3.28). The results show a people–process divide in which behavioural lean practices are established but technical, flow-oriented tools are not. The study recommends targeted training in pull planning, just-in-time delivery, and value stream mapping, and capacity support for small firms.},
keywords = {Lean construction, adoption, firm size, contractors, consultants, North East Nigeria},
month = {September}
}