Breaking the Knowledge Barrier: Unleashing Sustainable Construction in Nigeria Through Strategic Knowledge Management

This systematic literature review investigates barriers to knowledge management (KM) in sustainable construction within Nigeria’s construction sector, addressing a critical gap in aligning the industry with global sustainability goals, such as SDG 11. Through a PRISMA-guided review of peer-reviewed studies from 2015 to 2025, sourced from ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Web of Science, the study identifies four primary barriers: cultural (resistance to knowledge sharing), technological (inadequate ICT infrastructure), organizational (lack of leadership support), and economic/policy (funding constraints and weak regulations). These barriers hinder project efficiency, increase costs, and undermine environmental sustainability, exacerbating Nigeria’s housing deficit and carbon emissions. A proposed KM framework, grounded in Nonaka’s SECI model, integrates strategies like training programs, affordable digital platforms, knowledge repositories, and policy incentives to overcome these barriers. The study contributes to academic discourse by contextualizing KM challenges in a developing economy and offers practical solutions for stakeholders, including contractors and policymakers. Recommendations emphasize fostering a knowledge-sharing culture and leveraging public-private partnerships. Future research should empirically validate the framework through case studies. This review underscores KM’s role in advancing sustainable construction in Nigeria, promoting innovation and resilience.