Abstract
Purpose – The Nigerian construction industry accounted for more than 40% of Nigeria’s 3,461 recorded
occupational accidents/injuries and 238 fatalities between 2014 and 2016, which is the highest of any sector. The
emergence of the metaverse offers an innovative platform for enhancing planning, supervision and safety in
hazardous construction environments. The metaverse technology has gained significant importance in safety
training across various economic sectors, including construction, due to its numerous benefits. The study aimed
at assessing the critical success factors (CSFs) for the adoption and implementation of metaverse-based safety
training in the Nigerian construction industry.
Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative research design was adopted, utilising a structured
questionnaire administered to 73 construction companies registered with the Federation of Construction
Industry (FOCI) in Nigeria. The aim was to assess the CSFs for adopting and implementing metaverse-based
safety training in construction project delivery. With a high response rate of 91.25%, the collected data were
analysed using mean analysis, relative importance index (RII), coefficient of variation (CV) and factor analysis
through principal component analysis (PCA) to extract meaningful insights.
Findings – The descriptive analysis (mean and RII) revealed that the top four CSFs for the adoption and
implementation of metaverse-based safety training in the Nigerian construction industry include user training and skill
development, customisation to construction site realities, integration with existing training frameworks and alignment
with organisational goals. Secondly, factor analysis yielded a three-factor solution comprising: (1) technological and
regulatory factors, (2) communication and training factors and (3) organisational and economic factors. These findings
emphasise the importance of leadership support, infrastructure readiness, user training and regulatory alignment.
Originality/value – The study is novel in identifying and categorising the CSFs for the adoption of metaverse-based
safety training in the Nigerian construction industry. The originality lies in the context-specific contribution
revealing factors relevant to the industry. The study provides actionable insights for safety managers and construction
firms on the prerequisite for the successful implementation of metaverse platforms for safety enhancement.
Keywords Adoption, Critical success factors, Construction industry, Implementation,
Metaverse-based safety training, Nigeria
occupational accidents/injuries and 238 fatalities between 2014 and 2016, which is the highest of any sector. The
emergence of the metaverse offers an innovative platform for enhancing planning, supervision and safety in
hazardous construction environments. The metaverse technology has gained significant importance in safety
training across various economic sectors, including construction, due to its numerous benefits. The study aimed
at assessing the critical success factors (CSFs) for the adoption and implementation of metaverse-based safety
training in the Nigerian construction industry.
Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative research design was adopted, utilising a structured
questionnaire administered to 73 construction companies registered with the Federation of Construction
Industry (FOCI) in Nigeria. The aim was to assess the CSFs for adopting and implementing metaverse-based
safety training in construction project delivery. With a high response rate of 91.25%, the collected data were
analysed using mean analysis, relative importance index (RII), coefficient of variation (CV) and factor analysis
through principal component analysis (PCA) to extract meaningful insights.
Findings – The descriptive analysis (mean and RII) revealed that the top four CSFs for the adoption and
implementation of metaverse-based safety training in the Nigerian construction industry include user training and skill
development, customisation to construction site realities, integration with existing training frameworks and alignment
with organisational goals. Secondly, factor analysis yielded a three-factor solution comprising: (1) technological and
regulatory factors, (2) communication and training factors and (3) organisational and economic factors. These findings
emphasise the importance of leadership support, infrastructure readiness, user training and regulatory alignment.
Originality/value – The study is novel in identifying and categorising the CSFs for the adoption of metaverse-based
safety training in the Nigerian construction industry. The originality lies in the context-specific contribution
revealing factors relevant to the industry. The study provides actionable insights for safety managers and construction
firms on the prerequisite for the successful implementation of metaverse platforms for safety enhancement.
Keywords Adoption, Critical success factors, Construction industry, Implementation,
Metaverse-based safety training, Nigeria
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1-28 |
| Number of pages | 28 |
| Journal | Smart and Sustainable Built Environment |
| Early online date | 7 Oct 2025 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 7 Oct 2025 |
Keywords
- Nigeria
- Adoption
- Critical success factors
- Construction industry
- Implementation
- Metaverse-based safety training