COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE AND THE SUSTAINABLE GROWTH OF SMES IN SOUTH-SOUTH NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the effect of competitive intelligence on the sustainable
growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South-South Nigeria, focusing on
benchmarking, customer reviews, and scenario planning. Adopting a descriptive survey research
design, data were collected from 384 SME owners and senior managers across the six states in the
region using a structured Likert-scale questionnaire. The results, analyzed with descriptive
statistics and multiple regression analysis in SPSS 25, revealed a strong positive relationship
between competitive intelligence practices and sustainable growth, with an R² value of 0.745
indicating that the three predictors collectively explained 74.5% of the variation in SME growth.
Benchmarking emerged as the most influential factor, followed by scenario planning and customer
reviews, all of which had significant positive effects. The findings underscore competitive
intelligence as a core strategic capability that enables SMEs to enhance efficiency, meet customer
needs, and adapt to market uncertainties. The study concludes that embedding competitive
intelligence in operations is vital for achieving long-term SME success and recommends
continuous benchmarking, structured customer feedback mechanisms, and regular scenario
analysis to strengthen competitiveness and resilience.