Integrating social value into public procurement: a strategic framework for sustainable construction in Nigerian tertiary institutions

Purpose This study examines how social value, focused on worker welfare and community well-being, can be integrated into public procurement. Design/methodology/approach Employing an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design, the research commenced with 19 semi-structured interviews at a federal tertiary institution, followed by a survey of 121 construction professionals from public tertiary institutions across 11 northern Nigerian states. Findings The key findings include the absence of clear mandates for social value implementation for community, workers and limited institutional commitment, revealing gaps in the Public Procurement Act (2007). Originality/value International best practices are identified through a review of relevant studies and adapted to guide the development of a context-specific framework for Nigeria. The framework offers actionable guidance for policy reform, institutional alignment and capacity development aimed at fostering inclusive and sustainable construction outcomes in the public sector.