DEVELOPING A FRAMEWORK FOR DETERMINING PERFORMANCE OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS COST IN EBONYI STATE

The construction industry plays a vital role in the socio-economic development of any region, yet cost overruns remain a persistent challenge affecting project success. This study examine the framework for determining performance of construction projects in Ebonyi State, which identifies key contributors to cost overruns, evaluates the impact on project completion and quality, and assesses the effectiveness of current cost management practices. A mixed-method research design was employed, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews with construction professionals. Purposive sampling technique was employed to select respondents with relevant expertise in construction cost performance and sample size of 50 respondents is chosen which includes project managers, quantity surveyors, contractors, and government officials. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire as primary source of data, and secondary source of data was gathered from existing literature. Data analysis was carried out from the data collected using descriptive statistics, tables, and percentage frequency. The finding reveals that inflation, poor project planning, labor shortages, and ineffective cost management practices significantly impact construction costs and that adopting modern cost management techniques, integrating technology, enhancing financial planning, and strengthening regulatory frameworks are essential for improving cost performance. The study concludes that cost overruns are a persistent challenge in construction projects in Ebonyi State. The major factors contributing to this issue include inflation, poor project planning, labor shortages, and ineffective cost management practices. Based on the findings; it is recommended that the adoption of Earned Value Management (EVM) and Activity-Based Costing (ABC), better financial planning, the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), can improve stakeholder collaboration. These measures will enhance cost efficiency, ensuring timely budget.