 The informal sector: concepts, trends, challenges and opportunities in the Lagos and Cape Town construction industriesOlasunmbo A. Olusanya and Abimbola Windapo Chapter 9 in Research Companion to Advances in the Construction Industry in the Global South, 2026, pp 199-220 from Edward Elgar Publishing Abstract: The informal sector is a crucial part of the construction industry due to the involvement of informal labour and the short-term nature of many construction projects. This sector is characterised by low productivity, wages and surplus labour. However, there is limited understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by informal workers and businesses, as well as the trends and new concepts shaping the industry. This chapter examines the evolving dynamics and the role of government policies in the informal sector within the construction industry in developing countries, specifically in Lagos, Nigeria, and Cape Town, South Africa. It explores the traditional understanding of the informal sector and introduces new conceptual frameworks to capture its complexities and contributions. The chapter also highlights the unique challenges and opportunities for informal workers and businesses, and the implications for policy and practice in the construction sector. Keywords: Construction industry; Developing countries; Employment; Government policy; Informal sector; Subcontracting (search for similar items in EconPapers) Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:elg:eechap:24054_9 Ordering information: This item can be ordered from Access Statistics for this chapter More chapters in Chapters from Edward Elgar Publishing |
Is your work missing from RePEc? Here is how to contribute.
Questions or problems? Check the EconPapers FAQ or send mail to .
EconPapers is hosted by the
School of Business at Örebro University.