Materials Management Improvement in a Federal Road Construction Agency in Niger State

This research evaluates and proposes improvements to materials management practices within a federal road construction agency district office in Niger State, North Central Nigeria. Effective materials management in road construction projects directly influences project cost performance, schedule adherence, and quality outcomes, yet public sector construction organisations in Nigeria have frequently been cited in audit findings for materials wastage, misappropriation, and inadequate inventory control. This study employs a materials management performance audit framework, assessing current practices across five dimensions: procurement planning, supplier management, materials receiving inspection, site storage and handling, and consumption monitoring and reporting. Data were collected through structured interviews with project managers, quantity surveyors, and stores personnel, supplemented by a review of materials procurement records and project progress reports for five recently completed road construction projects. Performance scoring across the five dimensions reveals the weakest performance in consumption monitoring, where materials issued to construction sites are rarely reconciled against measured work quantities, creating conditions for undetected wastage and misappropriation. Recommendations include implementing a materials management information system for tracking from procurement to consumption, establishing mandatory materials reconciliation reporting for site engineers, and conducting periodic independent materials audit inspections on active construction projects. Keywords: materials management, road construction, public sector, Niger State, procurement