The future of a flexible and robust construction database seems far but is very close with the proposed launching of a web based platform "coinloorke", which will be an online "one-stop-shop" platform for obtaining varying amount of information on the construction industry, although the website is already registered it has not placed any content on its webpage.
The Nigerian construction industry is one that can be considered "Not organised" when it comes to the art and science of collecting and storing data over time for future use. This can be observed by the amount of information that can be obtained from the Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). In my opinion the "Not organised" state of the construction industry is a reflection of the poor level of awareness that is given to use of data and information management in planning for national development and as a price control mechanism.
This problem of poor data and information management in the construction industry in Nigeria, has made some Quantity Surveying professionals; whom are seen as custodians of data, and a bank of information; to begin work in coming up with solutions that will help in addressing the problem. One of the proposed solution is to have a flexible and robust construction database platform.
Simple as it sounds, having a flexible and robust construction database platform is not an easy task, personnel of the National Bureau of Statistics can attest to the immense challenges that are faced in collecting data for the construction industry in Nigeria. Nonetheless at least some known efforts have been made by separate individuals to either come up with different indices or organised data in form of textbooks, journals and the likes, all geared towards forecasting prices or having a database of information that can be used in the construction industry.
Read up "Quantity Surveying profession losing the skill of description"
