Transdisciplinary Research Framework for Managing Wicked Problems in Nigerian Urban Infrastructure Projects

Wicked problems, characterized by complexity, value conflicts, and unresolvable uncertainty, pervade urban infrastructure projects in Nigerian cities, yet project management approaches to wicked problems remain undertheorized in sub-Saharan African contexts. This study develops a transdisciplinary research framework for managing wicked problems in Nigerian urban infrastructure projects. A three-phase design will begin with a systematic literature review of wicked problem and complexity management approaches in urban infrastructure globally, followed by an expert consultation process engaging 40 urban planners, project managers, policy makers, and community stakeholders from Lagos, Kano, and Enugu. Framework refinement will be conducted through three participatory design workshops combining academic and practitioner knowledge. The emergent framework will be piloted through application in two urban infrastructure project contexts and assessed for usability and conceptual coherence. This study generates an original transdisciplinary framework that expands project management theory beyond linear problem-solving, contributing to the growing literature on adaptive and integrative PM approaches for complex urban environments. Keywords: wicked problems, transdisciplinary, urban infrastructure, Nigeria, framework development