Evaluation of Cost Implication of Virtual Project Management on Execution of Building Construction Projects during COVID 19 Lockdown

This research was conducted to verify the impact of virtual project management in the construction industry on project cost with it associated project team productivity. Questionnaire were distributed for acquisition of primary data that were gotten from respondents basically of construction project management background. These data were analysed using statistical package for social sciences SPSS to find out the correlation between virtual project management and project cost reduction as well as correlation between virtual project Management and project Team productivity. The research results from statistical analysis shows that Virtual project Management was very helpful in construction project delivery during COVID 19 in line with project running cost reduction and increase in construction project productivity in the midst of global face to face onsite work restriction that created enormous difficulties in construction project execution and delivery, with its resultant effects on project cost overrun, project abandonment, project time overrun, low project productivity and output. Based on this research outcome, we recommend that virtual project management should be sustainably applied in project work places during periods of non-restriction of face to face or onsite project execution for construction firms’ economic development and achievement of good value for money. Furthermore, within these period of non-restriction, Hybrid Project execution framework, comprising of both virtual and onsite project management methods should be adopted for successful project delivery at budgeted project cost.