Impact of Reverse Logistics Activities on Construction Project Management Cost Performance: Evidence from Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Reverse logistics (RL) in construction can improve value recovery and reduce waste, yet it may also introduce additional logistics costs that affect project cost performance. This study evaluates the cost implications of key RL activities on construction project management in building projects within the Abuja Municipal Area Council, Nigeria. Primary data were collected from 25 construction professionals at active building project sites using a structured mixed-method questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to profile cost intensity across five RL activity dimensions: transportation, warehousing, material handling, time management, and cost management. Results indicate that transportation is the most cost-intensive RL activity (60% of responses in the high-cost category of ₦1 million and above), followed by warehousing and material handling (48% each). Cost management also shows notable intensity (44% high-cost), while time management is largely perceived as low-cost (64% low-cost; 8% high-cost). The findings indicate that RL cost exposure in Abuja projects is driven primarily by the physical logistics requirements of reverse flows, movement, consolidation, storage, and handling, rather than administrative effort alone. The study concludes that better reverse-flow planning, routing, consolidation, and fit-for-purpose storage and handling systems can strengthen cost control and improve cost performance in construction project management.