Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Building Information Modeling (BIM) for Cost Management has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with timeliness of project delivery. This growing interest reflects the recognition that building information modeling (BIM) for cost management does not operate in isolation, but interacts with a wider set of institutional and market conditions found within Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States.

Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States presents a useful setting for examining this relationship precisely because the conditions there — structural, regulatory, and behavioural — differ from those typically assumed in the broader literature, most of which draws on evidence from more developed economies.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Despite a growing body of literature on building information modeling (BIM) for cost management, there remains limited consensus on the precise nature of its relationship with timeliness of project delivery, particularly within Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States. Many organizations continue to make decisions about building information modeling (BIM) for cost management without a clear, evidence-based understanding of how those decisions ultimately affect timeliness of project delivery. 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 Building Information Modeling (BIM) for Cost Management on timeliness of project delivery in Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States.
2. To assess the extent to which building information modeling (BIM) for cost management influences timeliness of project delivery within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with building information modeling (BIM) for cost management in relation to timeliness of project delivery.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing building information modeling (BIM) for cost management in order to improve timeliness of project delivery.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of building information modeling (BIM) for cost management on timeliness of project delivery in Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States?
2. To what extent does building information modeling (BIM) for cost management influence timeliness of project delivery within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with building information modeling (BIM) for cost management in relation to timeliness of project delivery?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize building information modeling (BIM) for cost management in order to improve timeliness of project delivery?

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 Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States seeking to understand how building information modeling (BIM) for cost management translates into measurable outcomes around timeliness of project delivery. 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 Nigeria and Selected ECOWAS Member States, focusing specifically on how building information modeling (BIM) for cost management relates to timeliness of project delivery within that setting. Findings are interpreted within these boundaries rather than as universal claims applicable to every organization or market.