Insights and Issues of Implementing Virtual Reality (VR) for Supervision Training Purposes in SUBEB, Edo State, Nigeria

This study explores the adoption of Virtual Reality (VR) in the Nigerian construction industry, with a focus on its potential benefits and associated challenges. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were employed to select 52 construction professionals from Benin, Edo State,an emerging urban center with extensive construction activity. Adopting a quantitative approach, the research utilized a five-point Likert scale survey to assess perceptions of the benefits and barriers to VR adoption. The survey was pretested for clarity and reliability, and data were collected via the Qualtrics platform. The findings indicate that the key benefits of VR include improved task-technology alignment, enhanced workplace safety through virtual training, and more effective remote collaboration. VR was also found to enrich user experience and learning engagement by simulating high-risk scenarios to aid hazard prevention. Nevertheless, the study identifies several critical barriers to adoption, such as uncertainty regarding learning outcomes, technical disruptions, and high implementation costs. Despite these limitations, VR holds considerable promise for transforming training and professional development in the construction sector. To maximize its impact, the study recommends the development of customized training modules, technological improvements to enhance system reliability, and government support to mitigate implementation costs. Overall, VR has the potential to significantly improve training effectiveness, safety standards, and operational efficiency in the Nigerian construction industry, provided that the identified barriers are adequately addressed.