Instrumentality of procurement laws to implement social sustainability in Nigeria

Construction projects can achieve social sustainability when anchored on relevant statutory instruments that support the procurement process. However, the absence of provision for social sustainability in procurement laws in Nigeria presents a significant challenge to the sector. Hence, this study documents the challenges site workers and host community face, as two key stakeholders in social sustainability. The aim is to explore how the absence of social sustainability in public procurement law affects implementation of the social agenda. Semi-structured interviews are conducted with six senior management staff with experience in public procurement in tertiary institutions. A thematic analysis of the result shows the prevalence of casualisation of labour as a major impediment. Other factors are the contractors’ profiteering, community belief systems that restrict employing women as site labour and client’s drive to evade additional cost associated with implementing social factors. The study recommends advocacy by pressure groups for legislation to amend and update the Procurement Act to capture social factors. This will develop and integrate the social agenda alongside existing procurement objectives, for implementation, in Nigeria, and internationally.