Abstract

Stakeholder engagement in infrastructure projects is an ingredient that contributes to project optimal performance. In the process of providing the infrastructure needs for the society, project financiers encounter challenges due to lack of consultation with key players in the infrastructure sector. This inadequacy has led to projects risks which threaten its completion within specifications, budget, and on time. In some cases, this shortcoming leads to abandonment of projects in Nigeria. This article took cognizes of stakeholder’s engagement literatures and unearth the dimension of risks because of the lack of involvement or otherwise of key stakeholders such as project managers, project teams, environments, end-users, and residents in infrastructure projects.  A conceptual framework of the dimensions of stakeholder’s engagement, and de-risking infrastructure projects was developed. The result identified the limitations facing stakeholder engagement in infrastructure projects in Nigeria and grouped them into the stakeholder’s maturity, coordination, marginalization, trust, health& Safety, and blended finance mechanism. Also, the result identified the roles in which the maturity of stakeholders in recognizing all key players, the coordination of stakeholders both internally and externally, the health & safety of local residence and end-users, and adequate consultation and involvement without marginalization of stakeholders in mitigating cost overrun risks in infrastructure projects in Nigeria. Public and Private Project financiers must understand the crucial role of stakeholders in mitigating risks in infrastructure projects especially on successful completion of projects, and the effects in providing the needed developmental projects for the populace.