A seasoned academic and professional quantity surveyor, Dr. Nathaniel Olatunde, has called on stakeholders in Nigeria’s construction sector to re-evaluate project team selection practices and improve delivery standards, especially in the nation’s tertiary institutions.

Olatunde, who lectures at the Federal University of Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Ekiti State, is a leading researcher in construction project performance, stakeholder management, sustainable construction, and digitalisation of quantity surveying services. With close to 20 years of industry experience and over a decade of professional registration, he has published extensively in both national and international journals.

Speaking on one of his recent studies published in the Journal of Engineering Design and Technology, the don criticised the traditional criteria used in selecting construction team members. “Many projects still rely on knowledge, skills, and abilities as the basis for team composition, without considering how these individuals will perform as a cohesive unit,” he said.

In the research titled Impact of Team Members’ Composition on Construction Projects Delivery in Selected Higher Institutions in Nigeria, Olatunde demonstrated that such traditional selection processes often lead to time overruns and inflated construction costs. “Empirical evidence from the study shows that team misalignment remains a leading cause of project delays. We must prioritise team role compatibility if we are serious about efficient delivery,” he added.

The study recommends a shift toward deliberate team composition analysis before assigning professionals to project teams. Olatunde believes this change could significantly improve project outcomes in Nigerian institutions. “Improper team makeup is like setting off on a journey with a broken compass—it’s bound to fail,” he quipped.

In another landmark research, the FUOYE lecturer assessed the cost and time performance of construction projects in public and private universities in Osun State. The findings revealed alarming trends. “Only 35 per cent of projects in public universities and just 10 per cent in private universities were delivered within their initial cost estimates,” he said.

The time performance metric was even more concerning. “None of the public university projects studied were completed within the planned timeframe, while only 20 per cent in private universities met their delivery schedules,” the researcher stated. He noted that these figures fall well below international best practices.

Olatunde emphasised that clients, designers, quantity surveyors, and contractors all have roles to play in reversing the trend. “Clients must present clearer briefs, designers should minimise variations, quantity surveyors must deploy their cost engineering expertise effectively, and contractors need to eliminate frivolous claims,” he advised.

According to him, consistent underperformance in construction projects hinders institutional growth and wastes public and private resources. He urged the government and education stakeholders to take his findings seriously and initiate reforms. “If we want our institutions to compete globally, we must build infrastructure that is delivered efficiently, on time, and within budget,” he said.

With over a decade of teaching and mentoring experience in polytechnics and universities, Olatunde continues to contribute to the academic and professional development of Nigeria’s construction industry. His research offers not only a diagnosis but also a blueprint for better project delivery in the country.