Barriers to BIM Adoption for Building Maintenance in Nigerian Public Buildings: Implications for Institutional Facilities

Abstract

Despite the increasing global relevance of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in facility management (FM), its integration into the maintenance practices of Nigerian universities remains limited. This study systematically reviewed 30 scholarly and institutional publications from 2018 to 2025 to explore the barriers to Building Information Modelling (BIM) adoption for facility maintenance in Nigerian universities. Thematic analysis revealed five major barriers: technological, organizational/cultural, economic/financial, policy/regulatory, and human capital and training gaps. Key challenges included software interoperability limitations (cited in 7 studies), inadequate ICT infrastructure, financial constraints (noted in 6 publications), resistance to organizational change, and the absence of national BIM standards or FM mandates. Stakeholder perspectives from across the literature underscored a consistent awareness of BIM’s value but highlighted the lack of hands-on training and institutional preparedness as critical impediments. Despite repeated recommendations for capacity building and policy reform, few studies provided longitudinal evidence or context-specific implementation models. The findings point to an urgent need for targeted training, infrastructure investment, and national policy guidelines to facilitate effective BIM integration in tertiary facility management systems.