Complexity Theory and the Management of Large-Scale Development Projects in Nigeria: An Ethnographic Inquiry

Large-scale development projects in Nigeria exhibit characteristics of complex adaptive systems, yet complexity theory has rarely been applied ethnographically to study their management in practice. This study applies complexity theory as a theoretical lens through ethnographic inquiry into the management of two large-scale development projects in Nigeria. A longitudinal ethnographic design will embed the researcher in projects in Kano State (North West) and Rivers State (South South) over 18 months each. Ethnographic data will be collected through participant observation, informal conversations, documentary analysis, and formal interviews with 80 project actors across multiple levels. Complexity theory constructs including emergence, non-linearity, self-organization, and edge of chaos will frame data interpretation. The study will generate rich theoretical accounts of how project managers navigate complexity in practice within distinctive Nigerian institutional and cultural environments. This is the first ethnographic complexity theory study of Nigerian development project management, constituting a significant methodological and theoretical contribution to the project management research literature. Keywords: complexity theory, large-scale development projects, ethnography, Nigeria, adaptive systems