You have likely heard the statistic: a frightening number of construction projects in Nigeria are either abandoned halfway or end up 50% over budget.
For many clients — whether you are building a private residence in Lekki or a commercial hub in Abuja — construction feels like a gamble. You sign a contract, mobilize funds, and then pray the contractor doesn’t disappear or come back three weeks later asking for an extra N5 million because “cement price went up.”
But successful construction isn’t about luck, and it certainly isn’t just about mixing cement and stacking blocks. It is about logistics and management.
At Dutum Group, we have spent over 30 years refining our internal processes to survive every economic cycle in Nigeria. We don’t just build; we manage. Based on our experience delivering complex infrastructure like the Admiralty Mall and FIRS Office, here is the client’s playbook for keeping your project on time and on budget.
7 Construction Project Management Tips
1. Prioritize “Pre-Construction” Planning (Don’t Rush to Site)
The biggest mistake clients make is rushing to break ground. You might feel productive seeing workers on site, but if you start without a finalized Bill of Quantities (BOQ) or fully approved drawings, you are setting a trap for yourself.
We recommend spending 30% of your project timeline in the planning phase.
Why? Because changing a line on a drawing costs nothing. Breaking a concrete wall because the plumbing design wasn’t ready costs millions.
Before we mobilize to any site, our Project Management Office (PMO) validates every design. We look for clashes — like a beam blocking an AC duct — and resolve them on paper first. This prevents “Change Orders” and “Variation Claims” that drain your budget later.
2. Demand a Realistic “Program of Works” (Not Just a Date)
Many contractors will promise you a completion date just to win the bid. “Don’t worry, Oga, we will finish in 6 months.”
Do not accept a verbal date. Demand a Program of Works.
This is a detailed schedule (often a Gantt chart) that breaks the project into weeks and milestones. It shows you exactly what should be happening on Week 12 (e.g., “Second Floor Slab Casting”).
Without this document, you have no way to measure progress. If the contractor says, “We are trying,” you can point to the schedule and say, “You are 3 weeks behind on the blockwork.” This keeps the pressure on performance, not promises.
3. Mitigate “Nigerian Factors” (Inflation and Logistics)
In Nigeria, prices change weekly, and roads get blocked without warning. A project management plan that ignores these realities is a fantasy.
To protect your project from the “Nigerian Factor,” you need a defensive strategy:
- Bulk Purchase Early: Don’t buy cement or reinforcement bars (iron rods) in batches. If you have the cash flow, buy the bulk of your structural materials at the start to lock in prices. This inoculates your project against inflation.
- Own, Don’t Rent: Verify your contractor’s capacity. Many delays happen because a contractor is waiting to rent an excavator that is busy on another site. At Dutum, we own our construction equipment. This ensures we control the timeline, not a third-party rental company.
4. Formalize Communication (Stop Using WhatsApp for Approvals)
Informal communication is the root of most “He said, She said” disputes.
“I thought you said I should use the white tiles?”
“No, I said show me samples first.”
If this conversation happened on a phone call or a buried WhatsApp thread, you have no recourse.
The Fix: Implement Weekly Site Meetings and enforce a Site Diary.
Every major instruction, approval, or change request must be written down and signed off in meeting minutes or official correspondence. This creates an audit trail that protects both you (the client) and the contractor. It removes ambiguity and ensures everyone is building the same vision.
5. Quality Control is Non-Negotiable
With the frequent news of building collapses in major cities, quality anxiety is real. You might find yourself asking, “Are they using weak blocks to save money?”
You shouldn’t have to guess. Quality Control (QC) should be documented.
Demand independent material testing. For example, every time we pour a concrete slab, we cast “test cubes.” These cubes are crushed in a lab to prove they meet the structural strength requirements. You should demand to see these test results for every major stage of your build. If a contractor hesitates to show you the lab results, pause the work.
6. Manage Cash Flow, Not Just Cost
There is a delicate balance in funding a project. If you starve the project of funds, work stops, and restarting costs more money. If you overpay too early, the contractor may become complacent.
The Tip: Link your payments to verified milestones, not calendar dates.
Instead of paying “Monthly,” pay “Upon completion of First Floor Decking.” This aligns the contractor’s incentive with your goal: progress. They only get paid when you see the physical result.
7. Hire Experience, Not Just the Lowest Bidder
Finally, be wary of the “Lowest Bidder” trap.
A bid that is 30% lower than the market average often means one of two things: the contractor has missed something in the scope (which they will charge you for later), or they plan to use substandard materials.
Often, the lowest bidder leaves the project halfway when the money runs out, leaving you with an abandoned site that costs double to fix.
Why Dutum? With over 30 years of experience, our pricing reflects the reality of delivering a high-quality project in Nigeria. We anticipate the problems — community issues, supply chain snaps, regulatory hurdles — before they cost you money. We price for Peace of Mind Engineering.
Conclusion
Successful construction projects don’t happen by accident. They are engineered, planned, and managed.
You can choose to gamble with a freelancer, or you can secure your investment with an institution. Do you want a project that finishes on time, or one that drains your wallet?
Partner with Dutum Group. Contact us today to discuss your upcoming project and experience the difference in professional project management.
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