The construction industry in developing economies remains a vital sector for sustainable infrastructure development; however, it is often dominated by foreign enterprises. This study identifies systemic obstacles in contractor growth. The study adopted a qualitative approach. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews held with purposively selected twelve (12) industrial experts in the construction sector, with contractors being the key interviewees. After conducting a thematic analysis of responses, six key factors were identified: financial indiscipline, the high cost of borrowing, erratic and delayed payments by clients, inadequate assurance of work opportunities, insufficient collateral to borrow from lending institutions, and insufficient construction knowledge. The study synthesises a comprehensive evaluation of the existing literature and contextual studies to highlight the individual and synergistic influences of these elements. The implications of the findings indicate that addressing these challenges necessitates strategic interventions, including comprehensive policy frameworks, accessible financing, targeted education and training, and the integration of advanced digital technologies, to foster a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable construction sector in developing nations. The study acknowledges the sample size and single-method approach as limiting factors for extrapolating the findings, as this is the first step in investigating contractor capacity development in developing nations.
Ndhlovu et al. (Mon,) studied this question.