Examination of Factors Influencing Cost of Building Materials in Anambra State.

The study examined the factors influencing the high cost of building materials for public housing projects in Anambra State, Nigeria, using a survey research design. The target population comprised 470 construction professionals, including architects, builders, quantity surveyors, and structural engineers, with 425 completed and valid questionnaires returned, representing a response rate of 90.4%. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, employing descriptive statistics to summarize demographic and perception data, and inferential statistics, including one-sample t-tests, to assess the significance of identified factors. Findings revealed that economic-related factors were the most influential determinants of building material costs, with a group mean of 0.82, where inflation and fluctuations in material prices were the most critical (RII = 0.84), followed by exchange rate volatility (RII = 0.83). Stakeholder-related factors, including improper planning (RII = 0.83) and delays in supply (RII = 0.81), ranked second (G.mean = 0.80), while building production-related factors such as labor efficiency and site conditions contributed moderately (G.mean = 0.79). External factors, including government policies and weather conditions, were ranked fourth (G.mean = 0.77). The overall one-sample t-test indicated a statistically significant effect of these factors on material costs (t = 48.401, df = 424, p < 0.001), with a mean score of 4.11, significantly above the neutral benchmark. The study concluded that the high cost of building materials in Anambra State is driven by a combination of macroeconomic, stakeholder, production-related, and external determinants. Effective mitigation requires coordinated policy measures, improved project planning, enhanced stakeholder management, and investment in local material production. These interventions are critical for reducing construction costs, improving efficiency in public housing delivery, and enhancing affordability and sustainability in the state’s housing sector.