Since 1960 two-thirds of very large governmental projects in Nigeria have not only failed but
been abandoned mid-course. This presents a bigger failure rate than mega projects elsewhere
and yet there is no available data or analysis to help us understand the reasons behind such
failures. This book provides an authoritative examination into why very large projects in
Nigeria have failed so badly and provides practical recommendations on how the Nigerian
government can improve its project performance. Drawing on data from 38 very large projects (19
completed and 19 abandoned) with a total budget of over $25B this book presents detailed
analysis of these projects and in-depth case studies 11 of the projects and presents lessons
for improvement. Through this the authors have identified a small number of key success
drivers and argue that making moderate improvements on any of them would on average save
hundreds of millions of dollars on one large project alone. This book is a game-changer in the
management of government mega projects in Nigeria. With clear implications for other developing
economies this is a vital resource for project management practitioners executives and civil
servants. This is an open access book.
