Implementing adaptive reuse in Nigeria: Challenges and pathways to low-carbon urban and rural development

This study aims to identify and evaluate the challenges hindering the widespread adoption of adaptive reuse in the Nigerian construction industry, thereby contributing to the understanding of barriers affecting sustainable urban development in Nigeria. A quantitative research approach was adopted, involving the distribution of questionnaires to professionals within Nigeria's construction industry. To assess the normality of the data, the Shapiro-Wilk normality test was performed, while the Kruskal-Wallis H-test was utilized to determine any significant differences in responses across different professional groups. Furthermore, exploratory factor analysis was carried out to identify key patterns and relationships within the collected data. The study identified the top five key challenges to the adoption of adaptive reuse, including concerns over structural stability, weak enforcement of safety regulations, inadequate data and documentation of existing buildings, unclear property ownership or land tenure issues and inconsistent material availability and supply chain issues. Four primary categories of challenges were revealed: technical and construction challenges; regulatory, legal, and institutional challenges; economic, educational, and awareness challenges; and social, cultural, and urban planning challenges. By situating these findings within the context of Nigeria, this research offers valuable insights into the specific obstacles faced in implementing adaptive reuse in emerging economies. Also, by factoring in leading challenges in international cases such as Jordan, Australia and Croatia, this study contributes to a broader global understanding of the barriers to adaptive reuse practices.