AI-Powered Strategic Decision-Making for ICT Project Success in Developing Economies: A Contextual Framework from Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to improve strategic decision-making and project performance, yet its application in ICT project management remains limited in developing economies such as Nigeria. This study examined the role of AI-powered strategic decision-making in ICT project success, with particular focus on Abuja, Nigeria, and developed a contextual framework for its application. A mixed-methods research design was adopted, involving a survey of 222 ICT stakeholders and semi-structured interviews with 12 key informants. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation and regression procedures, while qualitative responses were thematically analysed. The findings revealed a clear gap between AI awareness and organisational adoption. While 81.7% of respondents were highly or somewhat aware of AI tools, only 22.7% reported full integration, compared with 40.2% reporting partial integration and 35.6% reporting no integration. Lack of skilled personnel was the leading barrier to adoption (53.6%), followed by implementation cost (46.2%) and resistance to change (38.5%). AI use was positively associated with project timeliness (r = 0.64), budget adherence (r = 0.59), and stakeholder satisfaction (r = 0.72). The study concludes that AI can strengthen ICT project decision-making and success when supported by adequate skills, data, infrastructure, organisational readiness, governance, and human oversight. A contextual hybrid framework integrating AI-generated insights with human supervision is therefore proposed for Nigerian ICT project environments.