Examining the Role of Institutional Frameworks in Infrastructure Project Success in Nigeria’s South East Geopolitical Zone

Institutional frameworks, including laws, regulations, and organizational norms, significantly shape infrastructure project environments, yet their role in project success in South East Nigeria has not been empirically examined. This study examines the role of institutional frameworks in infrastructure project success in Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi, and Abia States. A mixed-methods design will survey 260 project managers, ministry officials, and contractors from road, water, and health infrastructure projects, supplemented by qualitative document analysis of project legal and regulatory frameworks. Institutional quality will be assessed using the World Bank Doing Business indicators adapted for state-level project contexts. Project success will be measured across delivery, stakeholder satisfaction, and sustainability dimensions. Structural equation modeling will test institutional pathways to success. Evidence from South East Nigeria suggests that weak land tenure security, inconsistent procurement legislation, and political instability in community governance impede project success. This study's institutional analysis framework contributes original analytical methodology to South East infrastructure project research. Keywords: institutional framework, infrastructure projects, South East Nigeria, project success, governance