Digital Transformation of SMEs as a Catalyst for Supply Chain Resilience, Sustainability, and Competitive Advantage: Evidence from Nigeria

This study investigates how digital transformation enhances supply chain resilience, sustainability performance, and competitiveness among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. Anchored on the Resource-Based View (RBV), Dynamic Capability Theory, and the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework, the study develops and empirically tests a sequential mediation model linking digitalization to competitiveness through resilience and sustainability. A mixed-method research design with quantitative dominance was adopted. Survey data were collected from 312 SMEs operating in the agribusiness and retail sectors and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The findings reveal that digitalization significantly enhances supply chain resilience (β = 0.62) and positively influences sustainability performance (β = 0.48). Supply chain resilience strongly predicts competitiveness (β = 0.53), while sustainability also exerts a significant positive effect (β = 0.36). Although digitalization has a direct impact on competitiveness (β = 0.21), the results confirm partial mediation through resilience and sustainability. The study demonstrates that digital transformation is a strategic capability that strengthens adaptive capacity, improves resource efficiency, and enhances market positioning. It concludes that digitalization is not merely a technological upgrade but a development imperative for the survival of SMEs in emerging economies. Policy recommendations emphasize strengthened public–private partnerships, flexible financing, regional innovation hubs, and harmonized digital industrial policies to build an inclusive and competitive SME ecosystem in Nigeria.