Key Drivers of Frugal Innovation in the Nigerian Construction Industry

Excellence, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa; & School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia. deborahadewale03@gmail.com The construction industry in developing countries continues to face various challenges, especially regarding resource availability, cost, and the need for sustainability. This has led to the need for frugal innovation as a strategic intervention. This study sought to evaluate the key drivers for the implementation of frugal innovation in the construction industry in Nigeria. A literature review was conducted to establish the key drivers for the implementation of frugal innovation, which was used to design a questionnaire for construction industry practitioners using a convenience sampling method. A total of 110 responses was retrieved from google forms and hardcopy questionnaires. Quantitative findings were analysed for results using descriptive statistics, mean item scores, and exploratory factor analyses. The findings revealed four clusters that are principal to the successful implementation of frugal innovation, which are innovation facilitators, organisational synergy, operational optimisation, and efficiency enablers. These clusters are significant in ensuring frugal innovation best practices are implemented in an organisation. The findings further demonstrate that construction stakeholders and senior management play a pivotal role in enabling frugal innovation through strategic decision-making, organisational alignment, and the promotion of cost-effective and context-responsive solutions. Theoretically, this study extends frugal innovation beyond the manufacturing and consumer product context by identifying a four-cluster factor structure specific to the construction industry. This study proposes a framework for analysing and implementing frugal innovation in the Nigerian construction sector, offering practical insights into critical success factors suited to local industry conditions. By promoting resource efficiency, affordability, and inclusive innovation, this study contributes to the sustainable development of the construction industry and is also in line wi