Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

In recent years, Procurement Method Selection has emerged as a critical factor shaping project cost performance across organizations operating in and around Selected States in Nigeria. As institutions grapple with the pressures of globalization, regulatory reform, and shifting stakeholder expectations, understanding how procurement method selection relates to project cost performance has become an important area of both scholarly and practical concern.

Within the context of Selected States in Nigeria, this relationship carries particular significance. Organizations in this setting operate under a distinct combination of economic, regulatory, and market conditions that may amplify or dampen the effect of procurement method selection on project cost performance, making a context-specific inquiry both timely and necessary.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Despite a growing body of literature on procurement method selection, there remains limited consensus on the precise nature of its relationship with project cost performance, particularly within Selected States in Nigeria. Many organizations continue to make decisions about procurement method selection without a clear, evidence-based understanding of how those decisions ultimately affect project cost performance. This gap between practice and empirical understanding is the central problem this study seeks to address.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Procurement Method Selection on project cost performance in Selected States in Nigeria.
2. To assess the extent to which procurement method selection influences project cost performance within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with procurement method selection in relation to project cost performance.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing procurement method selection in order to improve project cost performance.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of procurement method selection on project cost performance in Selected States in Nigeria?
2. To what extent does procurement method selection influence project cost performance within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with procurement method selection in relation to project cost performance?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize procurement method selection in order to improve project cost performance?

1.5 Significance of the Study

Beyond its academic contribution to the field of quantity surveying, this study has practical value for management teams within Selected States in Nigeria seeking to understand how procurement method selection translates into measurable outcomes around project cost performance. It is equally useful to students and future researchers looking for a localized empirical reference on this relationship.

1.6 Scope of the Study

In terms of scope, this study confines itself to Selected States in Nigeria, focusing specifically on how procurement method selection relates to project cost performance within that setting. Findings are interpreted within these boundaries rather than as universal claims applicable to every organization or market.