Coopetition Strategy, Value Co-Creation, and Industry Ecosystem Development: A Multi-Level Theory Building Study in Nigeria’s Technology Sector

This study develops an original multi-level theory of coopetition strategy, value co-creation, and industry ecosystem development in Nigeria's technology sector, addressing a significant theoretical gap in the application of coopetition theory to emerging economy technology ecosystems where institutional infrastructure remains incomplete. Nigerian technology firms increasingly engage in simultaneous cooperative and competitive relationships, yet the mechanisms through which coopetition generates ecosystem-level value and competitive resilience remain theoretically underdeveloped. Employing a multi-case study design with process tracing methodology, this research investigates twelve coopetition alliances across Lagos (South West), Abuja (North Central), and Enugu (South East) technology hubs, combining interview data from 72 founders, alliance managers, and ecosystem actors with longitudinal partnership document analysis. The study develops a three-level coopetition framework distinguishing dyadic value creation mechanisms, portfolio coopetition management logic, and ecosystem co-evolution dynamics. Original theoretical contributions include the concept of asymmetric coopetition legitimacy, describing how trust and value appropriation norms differ by firm size and market position within Nigerian technology ecosystems. The process tracing analysis identifies the specific sequencing through which coopetition transitions from transactional collaboration to transformative ecosystem co-creation. Practical implications address how technology firms, investors, and policy-makers can design coopetition-enabling governance structures for Nigeria's digital economy development agenda. Keywords: coopetition strategy, value co-creation, industry ecosystem, technology sector, Nigeria.