A Critical Evaluation of Sustainable Procurement Practices in Nigerian Construction: Evidence from Lagos and Abuja

Sustainable procurement seeks to integrate environmental, social, and economic considerations into the purchasing of construction works, services, and materials. This study critically evaluates the adoption and performance of sustainable procurement practices in the Nigerian construction industry, using evidence from Lagos and Abuja as representative commercial and administrative centres. A mixed-method design incorporating surveys of 180 procurement officers, quantity surveyors, and contractors, alongside semi-structured interviews with 25 key informants, was employed. Thematic analysis and binary logistic regression were used for analysis. Findings reveal that while awareness of sustainable procurement concepts is increasing, formal adoption remains constrained by price competition pressures, absence of national sustainable procurement standards, and inadequate client demand signals. Environmental criteria are rarely included in tender evaluation frameworks, and social value requirements are absent from most Nigerian contract terms. The study identifies an important gap between policy rhetoric in Nigeria's National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan and procurement practice reality. Empirically, projects where sustainability criteria were applied demonstrated marginally higher initial costs but measurably better waste, energy, and community relations outcomes. Recommendations address policy, regulatory, and capacity dimensions simultaneously. This study provides a critical and evidence-based perspective that advances sustainable procurement scholarship beyond descriptive inventories commonly found in existing Nigerian literature. Keywords: sustainable procurement, construction industry, Lagos, Abuja, social value