Assessment of ICT Adoption in Small-Scale Manufacturing Firms in Kaduna Industrial Layout, North West Nigeria

Small-scale manufacturing firms represent a significant component of Kaduna State's industrial base, and the extent of ICT adoption for production management, inventory control, and customer relationship management in this sector has important implications for competitiveness and growth. This study assesses the level and drivers of ICT adoption in small-scale manufacturing firms in Kaduna Industrial Layout, North West Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey was administered to 230 firm owners and managers selected through cluster sampling across six industrial clusters in the layout. Questionnaire items covered ICT tools in use (accounting software, inventory management systems, communication platforms, production automation), adoption motivations, barriers, and perceived business performance improvements attributable to ICT. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were computed in SPSS. Literature from North West Nigerian manufacturing contexts identifies unreliable power supply, high software cost, and limited local technical support as the primary ICT adoption barriers, with firm size positively predicting adoption probability. The Technology-Organisation-Environment framework and the Innovation Diffusion Theory provide the analytical reference. Findings indicate that 54 percent of firms use ICT for basic accounting, while only 18 percent have adopted inventory management software and 9 percent use any form of production process ICT integration. Recommendations include state government ICT subsidy schemes for small manufacturers, energy solutions for ICT infrastructure continuity, and industry association technology adoption awareness programmes. Keywords: ICT adoption, small-scale manufacturing, Kaduna Industrial Layout, North West Nigeria, SME technology.