THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 REGULATORY MEASURES ON CONSTRUCTION PROJECT TIME PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE FROM YOLA, ADAMAWA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Abstract
While the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated regulatory interventions to protect public health, the impact of these measures on the time performance of construction projects has been a subject of significant concern. This study empirically examines the impact of the measures announced by authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic on construction project time performance in Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria. Using a quantitative research design, data were gathered from 140 construction professionals via a structured questionnaire. The study employed simple linear regression analysis to determine the predictive power of the announced measures on project time performance. The regression model revealed a significant and substantial impact, with the measures announced by authorities accounting for approximately 70.7% of the variation in construction project time performance (R² = 0.707). The unstandardized coefficient (β = 0.851, p < .001) indicates that the intensity of the measures had a direct and considerable effect on project timelines. The study concludes that government interventions, while necessary for public safety, were a major determinant of schedule delays during the pandemic. It is recommended that construction firms adopt flexible, scenario-based scheduling and invest in crisis-responsive project management systems to mitigate the impact of future regulatory disruptions.