ABSTRACT

 This research presents the evaluation of cost performance analysis of Nigeria small scale automotive maintenance firms. The objective of the study is to ascertain the impact of cost-time variation on the productivity ofsmall-scale automotive maintenance firms in Nigeria. Furthermore, 70 different auto-maintenance works executed in Nigeria between January to December 2016 were sampled. Additionally, the collected data was analyzed using Excel and Eviews 9.7 statistical tools. Regression models formulated include (i) Model I - Cost overrun with maintenance type, industry size, and estimated cost (ii) Model II - Time overrun with maintenance type, industry size, and estimated maintenance duration (iii) Model III - Actual performance factor with cost overrun rate, and time overrun rate. The output of the regression Models I, II and III shows a predictive efficiency of 42%, 43% (i.e. a fair correlation) and 74% (highly significant) respectively as their correlation coefficient at P<0.05. Also, descriptive analysis revealed poor cost estimation, maintenance duration, labour cost increase, maintenance type, industry size and poor scheduling which ranged between 69.31>64.31>63.75>61.67>60.97>59.31 respectively as major factors causing cost-time overrun in Nigeria automotive maintenance firms. While average cost and time overrun were found to be 82.8% and 62.8% resulting in cumulative cost-time performance and productivity loss rate of 6.5, 40.9 and 93%, 31% at 100% maintenance completion. In addition 143.9 and 154.7 were revealed as mean performance rating of workshops on the availability and usage of appropriate protective equipment, while 224.2 and 302.7 constitutes respective poor usage rate and non-availability of appropriate safety equipment in the workshops. The mean percentage rating of common injuries/accident of automobile, generator, heavy duty and panel bitter workshops were determined as 20%, 22%, 26%, and 31% respectively. Hence, compliance to appropriate safety practice in this sector is very poor due to nonchalant attitude of the operators of these firms toward safety practices as well as inadequate supervision by regulatory agencies. Therefore, the use of CAD/CAM and project management software in evaluating exact project worth and duration before execution, sensitization of stakeholders in this sector on the need to make safety their priority and regular inspection ofthese firms for safety compliance by regulatory bodies are recommended to build customers trust and improve productivity in this sector.