Impact of Partnering as a Procurement Method on Construction Project Delivery in Enugu State, Nigeria.

The construction industry continues to experience persistent challenges related to cost overruns, time delays, quality shortfalls, and safety risks, thereby necessitating the adoption of more collaborative procurement approaches. This study examined the impact of partnering as a procurement method on construction project delivery in Enugu State, Nigeria, using cost, time, quality, and safety as key performance indicators. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, and data were obtained from 676 respondents comprising consultants, contractors, and clients, selected from a population of 1,808 construction stakeholders through stratified random and purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, which achieved a Cronbach’s Alpha reliability coefficient of 0.81. Descriptive statistics, Relative Importance Index, and one-way Analysis of Variance were used for data analysis. The results showed that partnering had a high positive impact on all performance indicators, with group mean RII values of 0.805 for cost, 0.804 for time, 0.806 for quality, and 0.808 for safety. The highest-ranked effects included improved value-for-money outcomes (RII = 0.819), enhanced communication leading to faster workflow (RII = 0.816), improved construction quality through shared accountability (RII = 0.819), and improved site safety through joint planning (RII = 0.816). One-way ANOVA results indicated no statistically significant difference in the effects of partnering across cost, time, quality, and safety performance indicators (F = 1.729, p = 0.192), suggesting a relatively uniform influence of partnering on overall project delivery performance. The study concluded that partnering is an effective and holistic procurement method capable of simultaneously improving cost efficiency, time performance, construction quality, and safety outcomes in construction projects. It recommended increased adoption of partnering by public and private sector clients in Enugu State to enhance sustainable and high-performing construction project delivery.