An Original Contribution to Understanding Knowledge Transfer Mechanisms in the Nigerian Construction Industry: A Social Network Analysis Approach

Knowledge transfer is fundamental to construction industry improvement, yet the mechanisms, channels, and barriers of knowledge transfer in the Nigerian construction industry are poorly theorised and empirically undercharacterised, limiting the design of effective capacity development interventions. This study makes an original contribution to understanding knowledge transfer mechanisms in the Nigerian construction industry through a social network analysis of knowledge flows among construction professionals in Lagos and Abuja. An original Knowledge Transfer Network Survey was developed and administered to 380 construction professionals across 10 professional categories (architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, builders, and contractors of different scales). The survey mapped knowledge exchange relationships, knowledge source preferences, knowledge type (explicit and tacit), and trust relationships among respondents. Social network analysis metrics including degree centrality, betweenness centrality, network density, and clustering coefficients were calculated for each professional category and city context. Knowledge transfer barriers were investigated through 30 semi-structured interviews with senior industry professionals. Results revealed that the Nigerian construction knowledge transfer network is characterised by high clustering (CC = 0.61) and low density (D = 0.12), indicating strong intra-cluster knowledge sharing but poor inter-cluster diffusion. Professional institutes (Nigerian Institute of Building, Nigerian Institute of Architects) were identified as the highest betweenness centrality nodes, making them strategic knowledge brokers. Informal apprenticeship networks were identified as the dominant tacit knowledge transfer mechanism for artisan skills, with formal training institutions playing a secondary role. The study provides the first social network analysis of knowledge transfer in Nigerian construction and proposes a Knowledge Brokerage Enhancement Strategy for the construction professional bodies.

Keywords: knowledge transfer, social network analysis, construction industry, Nigeria, professional development