Project management and construction professionals have linked disparities between government-financed infrastructure projects and those by other players to poor planning, procurement inefficiencies and delayed payments. “Another significant challenge is delayed payments. Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (Mubas) lecturer in construction management Wakisa Simukonda shared similar views, saying while project costs are naturally influenced by factors such as project scope, procurement methods, contract type, material prices, inflation, exchange rate movements and quality specifications, poor project planning and management significantly inflate costs. “Poor project planning and management significantly contribute to inflated construction costs by reducing efficiency and increasing waste throughout the project lifecycle,” he said. Erratic funding has often led to delayed project implementation in Malawi, a development that doubles or triples initial project costs through cost overruns.