Sustaining Economic Growth: E-Service Quality’s Role in Fostering Customer Loyalty in Nigeria SMEs

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of e-service quality on customer loyalty with customer satisfaction as a mediator in the small and medium-sized business sector in Nigeria. The dimensions investigated in this study are reliability, web design, trust, empathy, convenience, and cultural inclusion. To the best of the researchers’ knowledge, there has not been any research done on this subject investigating the above dimensions among Nigerian SMEs across various cultural groups. Therefore, this study fills this gap by investigating the impact of culture, web design, trust, empathy, convenience, and reliability on SMEs. A questionnaire was used for the purpose of the study to collect primary data. Four hundred and ninety-two responses were obtained from the respondents, who were age 20 and above. The survey was carried out online across the four major poles of Nigeria (east, west, north, and south) because of their varying and distinct cultural background. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS 28, Smart PLS 4 and AMOS 29 for descriptive analysis and structural equation modeling to test the research model. The results showed that the service quality dimensions have a positive significant impact on customer satisfaction and also show that customer loyalty is positively impacted by customer satisfaction.