Enterprise Resource Planning System Implementation Challenges in Nigerian Manufacturing Firms

ERP system implementations in Nigerian manufacturing firms face distinctive challenges arising from infrastructure limitations, resistance to change, and the mismatch between international ERP configurations and local business process requirements. This study examines ERP implementation challenges and critical success factors in manufacturing firms across South West and North Central Nigeria. A mixed-methods professional survey was conducted, with structured questionnaires administered to 85 IT managers, ERP project leads, and business process owners at manufacturing companies in Lagos, Ibadan, and Abuja that had undertaken ERP implementations between 2018 and 2023. Five in-depth case interviews complemented the survey data. Analysis used descriptive statistics and thematic coding of qualitative responses. Findings indicate that inadequate end-user training accounted for 65 percent of post-go-live performance gaps. Connectivity and power supply challenges caused implementation timeline extensions in 58 percent of projects. Vendor support responsiveness after go-live was rated inadequate by 71 percent of respondents. Firms that invested in a dedicated internal ERP champion and conducted structured change management programmes achieved faster benefit realisation. The study concludes that ERP implementations in Nigerian manufacturing require contextually adapted change management, local vendor capacity development, and robust offline capability design. A Nigerian Manufacturing ERP Implementation Readiness Framework with seven critical success factors is proposed for adoption by IT managers and management consultants.

Keywords: ERP implementation, manufacturing firms, Nigeria, change management, critical success factors