This paper examines the management of contractual claims in the Nigerian construction industry. It explored issues bothering on availability of expertise in the area of managing claims, the principles of claims management, types of claims and their causes are carefully examined with a view to ascertain their potential impact on the execution of construction projects in Nigeria. The research methodology adopted in this paper involves the use of questionnaires administered to various professionals in the industry. The research revealed that there is a form of relationship that exists between pre-contract administration and claims management. The research also shows that administrative and socio-cultural factors, such as, absence of dedicated claims management experts, corruption and poor pre-contract documentation, respectively, amongst others, are mainly responsible for the knowledge gap in the industry. This paper recommends the development and subsequent implementation of a decision support system to aid practitioners in the area of managing construction contract claims.

Keywords— Claims Management, Construction Contracts, Project Management