Abstract:
Electronic commerce, commonly known as e-commerce can be regarded as the
utilization of electronic systems such as the internet and other computer networks to
aid the sharing of business information among trading partners, coordination and
implementation of business transactions. Existing studies in Nigeria concentrated on
factors that limit Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in adopting e-commerce
technology and most of these studies were examined from consumers perspectives,
however, little or no study have examined the impact of e-commerce adoption on the
performances of SMEs. This paper employed the use of a quantitative research
approach to analyse the behavior, experience, perspective of Small and Medium Scale
Enterprises operators towards electronic commerce adoption in Nigeria. Based on the
quantitative approach imbibed in this study, questionnaire was used to capture data
that examined the objectives of the paper. The questionnaire was distributed both
manually and electronically to total sample of over 250 SMEs. Data collected were
analysed using descriptive analysis. The study showed that e-commerce has potentials
to improve the performance of SMEs operators if factors limiting the adoption of ecommerce like security issues, under developed infrastructures, poor delivery logistics
and poor courier systems, infrastructure facilities, incompatibility of business with ecommerce etc. The paper recommended improved infrastructural facilities and better
strategies that will improve consumers and business technological knowledge and
ensure favourable environment for e-commerce adoption.
