An Empirical Examination of Digital Supply Chain Transformation and Competitive Advantage in Nigerian Manufacturing

This dissertation empirically examines the relationship between digital supply chain transformation and competitive advantage in Nigerian manufacturing firms, developing and testing an original theoretical model that integrates resource-based view, dynamic capabilities theory, and digital transformation literature to explain how and under what conditions digital supply chain investments translate into sustainable competitive advantage in the Nigerian context. Digital supply chain transformation, encompassing enterprise resource planning implementation, supply chain visibility platforms, blockchain for traceability, and advanced analytics for demand sensing, is rapidly diffusing among larger Nigerian manufacturers; however, the mechanisms through which these investments create competitive advantage, and the boundary conditions that moderate their effectiveness, are poorly understood in the Nigerian industrial context. This research employs a longitudinal survey design spanning three years, tracking digital transformation progress and competitive performance metrics in two hundred and thirty-one manufacturing firms across Lagos, Rivers, Kano, and Enugu states. A theoretical model with five hypothesised pathways between digital investment dimensions, supply chain dynamic capabilities, and competitive advantage dimensions is tested using partial least squares structural equation modelling with common method bias controls. Original contributions include a Nigerian Supply Chain Digitalisation Index, a digital capabilities maturity model with four developmental stages calibrated for the Nigerian manufacturing context, and evidence of a digital capability threshold effect below which transformation investments do not generate measurable competitive advantage. Keywords: digital supply chain transformation, competitive advantage, dynamic capabilities, longitudinal study, Nigerian manufacturing