Ebekozien, A.; Ebekozien, E. O.; Hafez, M. A.; Aigbavboa, C.; Nwaole, A. N. C.; Adekunle, S. A.; Samsurijan, M. S. and Ayo-Odifiri, S. O. (2026) Identifying the barriers facing indigenous developers in achieving sustainable low-cost housing projects in Nigeria: Stakeholders' perspective. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 33(15), ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose – Studies have shown that promoting indigenous housing developers can improve the delivery of sustainable and affordable projects, especially in developing countries such as Nigeria. Thus, the role of indigenous developers is pertinent to sustainable low-cost housing (LCH) projects and, with government support, may help achieve housing-related Sustainable Development Goals, such as sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11). Indigenous housing developers face challenges, and an in-depth study is required. This study examines the barriers faced by indigenous housing developers and proposes measures to enhance their role in delivering sustainable LCH projects and, by extension, advancing SDG 11. Design/methodology/approach – This research employed a qualitative design. It conducted 46 face-to-face semi-structured interviews. The researchers used convenience sampling to select participants in Abuja and Lagos, Nigeria. The study also analysed the data manually using a thematic approach. Findings – The role of indigenous housing developers is critical to enhancing sustainable LCH delivery. The study also identified 18 barriers that indigenous developers face in achieving sustainable LCH projects. Findings indicate that these barriers may threaten sustainable LCH for urban low-income earners in Nigeria if left unchecked. This research proposed measures to enhance indigenous developers' roles and, by extension, improve the achievement of SDG 11. Originality/value – The study's results will benefit the housing industries of developing countries with similar characteristics by motivating indigenous developers to deliver more sustainable LCH projects. Findings will also contribute to the body of knowledge on how to improve the achievement of SDG 11 through sustainable LCH provision. (2026)
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | indigenous developers; low-cost housing (LCH) Nigeria; stakeholders; sustainable development goal 11 |
| Index terms: | face, methodology, income, Lagos, Nigeria, developing country, low-cost housing, body of knowledge, sampling, housing, interview, sustainable city, Abuja, sustainable development goal, government support, housing developer |
| Subjects: | housing and residential development, urban design, sustainable design, psychology, economic analysis, knowledge management, development economics, research methods, data collection methods, government bodies, Geography, sociology, construction type |
| Topics: | Stakeholder Management, Business Strategy, Geographical Context, Urban Studies, Governance, Sustainability, International Construction, Construction Technology, Information Management, Research Practice, Organizational Design |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here