INFLUENCE OF E-COMMERCE ON SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE BUSINESS GROWTH IN OREDO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, EDO STATE

ABSTRACT

The study assessed the influence of e-commerce on small and medium scale business growth in Oredo Local Government, Edo State. Four research questions guided the study. Descriptive survey research design was used for the study. All registered small and medium scale businesses in Oredo Local Government Area in Edo state was used for the study because they were the population that this study was based upon. The sample size of (100) business owners was used for this study. Questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. The instrument used was validated by the project supervisor. Pearson ‘‘R” statistics was used to determine the correlation coefficient of 0.8. The data collected were analyzed using Mean and Standard Deviation. The mean and Standard deviation was used to answer the research questions. From the result of the analysis, it was concluded that online platforms such as Jumia, Konga, Jiji and Payporte all have strong positive influence and play pivotal roles in enhancing business operations, expanding market reach, and contributing to the overall economic development of SMEs in Oredo Local Government Area. Consequently, it was recommended that SMEs leverage on the robust influence of platforms like Jumia, Konga, Jiji and Payporte as they offer opportunities for SMEs to reach a wider audience. Furthermore, the world is rapidly advancing to becoming a digital world and in order to thrive, SMEs should adapt social media and technology into their marketing efforts. Finally, by integrating advantages such as Payporte’s logistics solutions, SMEs can manage deliveries more efficiently, ensuring timely and reliable service to customers.