Assessing the Economic, Social, and Environmental Impacts of Rigid Pavement Adoption on Major Federal Highways in Nigeria
Abstract
Federal highways in Nigeria extend over thirty four thousand kilometres and have historically been constructed using flexible pavement systems due to their lower initial construction cost and relative ease of maintenance. Despite these advantages, persistent pavement failures, frequent rehabilitation works, and escalating maintenance expenditure have become widespread as a result of increasing traffic volumes, heavy axle loads, weak enforcement of axle load regulations, and harsh climatic conditions. These challenges have prompted a gradual policy shift by the Federal Government of Nigeria towards the adoption of rigid pavement systems on major federal highways. Rigid pavements provide superior structural capacity, improved load distribution, resistance to rutting, and longer service life when compared with flexible pavements. However, concerns remain regarding their economic feasibility, social acceptability, environmental sustainability, and institutional readiness within the Nigerian context. This study empirically examines the economic, social, environmental, and institutional impacts of rigid pavement adoption on major federal highways in Nigeria. A cross sectional survey design was employed involving one hundred stakeholders comprising engineers, contractors, policymakers, transport operators, road users, and host community members. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and complemented with semi structured interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis, while qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that although rigid pavements are perceived to offer long term durability and reduced maintenance requirements, high initial construction costs, weak institutional monitoring, limited stakeholder engagement, and environmental concerns associated with cement production significantly influence stakeholder acceptance. The study concludes that rigid pavement adoption in Nigeria is not solely a technical decision but a policy driven process requiring integrated economic planning, institutional strengthening, environmental innovation, and inclusive stakeholder participation.
Citations
IRE Journals:
Salam Muiz, Ajagbe Wasiu, Adebisi Waris "Assessing the Economic, Social, and Environmental Impacts of Rigid Pavement Adoption on Major Federal Highways in Nigeria" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 9 Issue 7 2026 Page 2294-2297
IEEE:
Salam Muiz, Ajagbe Wasiu, Adebisi Waris
"Assessing the Economic, Social, and Environmental Impacts of Rigid Pavement Adoption on Major Federal Highways in Nigeria" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 9(7)
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