Adoption of Lean Construction Principles in Building Projects: Perspectives from Contractors in Kaduna State

Abstract

Lean construction principles have been widely adopted globally to eliminate waste and improve construction process efficiency. This paper investigates the extent of lean construction adoption among building contractors in Kaduna State, Nigeria. A questionnaire survey of 65 registered building contractors assessed awareness of, and application of, lean construction tools including Last Planner System, Just-In-Time delivery, and 5S workplace organisation. Only 28% of respondents demonstrated meaningful awareness of lean principles, and formal implementation was negligible. Principal barriers included limited awareness, resistance to change, and perceived incompatibility with informal Nigerian construction practices. The paper argues for lean construction education in tertiary curricula and industry-led pilot projects to demonstrate the benefits of lean approaches in the Nigerian context.