Assessment of Supply Chain Management Practices in the Poultry Industry in Lagos State, South West Nigeria

Efficient supply chain management is a critical determinant of competitiveness and profitability in the commercial poultry industry. In Lagos State, which hosts Nigeria's largest urban poultry market, supply chain inefficiencies including transportation bottlenecks, feed quality variability, and cold chain inadequacies have been widely noted as constraints to industry performance. This study assessed supply chain management practices in the poultry industry in Lagos State. Fifty poultry enterprises of varying production scales were selected through purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews and observation were used to collect data on procurement practices, inventory management, transportation logistics, cold chain management, and customer relationship management. A supply chain performance index was constructed and regression analysis was applied to identify management practice predictors. Results showed that enterprises with formal procurement contracts for feed and day-old chicks recorded lower input cost variability and 18 percent lower feed conversion ratios. Cold chain integration was limited to medium and large enterprises, while small-scale operators reported significant revenue losses from product spoilage. Customer relationship management practices were largely informal across all enterprise scales. The study recommends formalising supply chain partnerships through industry association platforms and investing in shared cold chain infrastructure for small-scale operators in Lagos State. Keywords: supply chain management, poultry industry, Lagos State, cold chain, procurement.