
Nigeria is currently in a vantage position to harness the
power of a technology revolution spurred by the increased and enhanced use of
IT solutions and support structures. Nigerian startups raised more than one
billion dollars in VC funding in 2022, an indication of increased belief in the
country’s technology prospects. However, beyond the excitement of funding
rounds and innovative product launches lies a critical challenge: managing
change effectively.
Never has change management been more important in Nigeria
especially as organisations continue to strive to develop effective digital
transformation programmes and oftentimes the culture change that goes with
them. From implementing AI technology to adopt local enterprises to migrating
to the use of cloud services, Nigeria’s technology adoption needs more than
possessing advanced technologies. It requires, therefore, a systematic
management of change initiatives in the architectural environment of technology
for the use of resistance, development of leadership, and integration of
technological deployment with human assets.
The Rise of Digital Transformation in Nigeria
Nigeria’s digital economy is rapidly expanding like never
before in history. It was discovered from the National Bureau of Statistics
that ICT also known as Information Communication Technology contributed 16.22%
to Nigerian GDP in the second quarter of 2023. Such growth goes to show how
central technology can be in the economic progress of the world region.
Leveraging strategies like the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy
(NDEPS), Nigeria sees itself as the world’s digital hub within the next fifteen
years.
However, while organizations might have such goals and
objectives, digital transformation efforts go beyond the applications of
technologies. It means that without proper change management models,
organizational initiatives will face challenges, employees will become
ineffective, and technology solutions won’t be leveraged to their full
potential. For instance, a survey conducted by PwC Nigeria in 2023 showed that
60% of organisations in Nigeria mentioned that their resistance to change
inhibited their implementation of technology. This brings into focus, the
necessity of having a strategy for IT transition management.
Understanding Change Management in the Nigerian Context
Change management can be broadly understood as the process
of managing the transfer of people and organisations through their process from
one state to another. In the context of Nigeria's technology scene, this is
about integrating technology endeavors into cultural, economic, and
organizational contexts.
1. Cultural Sensitivities: Nigerian employees assert that
their organisations maintain a rigid top-down approach to organizational
relationships and formal decision-making. Making changes such as; bringing in
new working methodologies like agile, and the introduction of pull systems can
create resistance since they change the typical organizational graphic.
2. Infrastructure Gaps: Although cities like Lagos and Abuja
have relatively developed information and communication technology (ICT)
facilities, rural ones are, by far, worse off. Closing this gap, however,
involves the use of interventions which are informed by the technologically
capable or incapable population.
3. Workforce Development: The Nigerian workplace is now
considerably virtual, with young employees belonging to the millennial and Gen Z populations who demand the efficient deployment of technology in the
workplace. A major factor connected to acceptance is in managing expectations.
Why Organizations Struggle with Change Management
However, few Nigerian organisations appreciate the dynamics
of change management during technology adoption. Common pitfalls include:
- Lack of Leadership Buy-in: Most firms have an ineffective
approach to disseminating technical change leadership, and key decision-makers
have an inadequate perception of the importance of an integrated strategy.
- Insufficient Training: In many organizations, the rollout of
new systems is accompanied by minimal guidance to the workers, this breeds
frustration and resistance.
- Overemphasis on Tools: Management constantly strives to
invest in the latest technology, but often fails to invest in the people and
structures that must make the best use of this technology.
Key Components of Successful Change Management
As a result, change management strategies have to be
implemented by business ventures in Nigeria as follows: Here are some key
components:
1. Clear Vision and Communication: Business leaders have to
be able to identify why they are putting the technology into use. In
particular, if a bank decides to implement AI in customer relations, people
should comprehend how it improves customers’ experience and processes’
effectiveness.
2. Stakeholder Engagement: As early as now, employing the
principle means that the employees will also be willing to take ownership
because there will be less resistance to what is being implemented. This can be
best done through training sessions, feedback and pilot implementation.
3. Customized Training Programs: Such training guarantees
that junior employees through senior employees up to the managerial level are
prepared to face the challenges of the Nigerian digital workplace.
4. Monitoring and Adaptation: Evaluation in this case is
ongoing and since this enables an organisation to address the challenges that
it faces about the change process appropriately in time, then
organisational evaluation should be embraced. Benchmark measures like the level
of uptake of the system, as well as several employees who report high
satisfaction levels, are some of the significant measures that need to be
targeted.
Real-World Examples of Change Management in Nigeria
Case Study 1: A Financial Institution’s Digital Overhaul
For instance, anticipating the explosive growth in the
adoption of Internet services in Nigeria in 2021, a leading Nigerian bank
launched what it called a digital transformation programme aimed at improving
its online banking services. At the beginning most of the employees especially
those who had worked for the bank opposed the formation of the new venture as
they were used to the conventional methods of banking. By partnering with a
digital change consulting firm, the bank implemented a comprehensive change
management plan, which included:
- Holding annual meetings to attend to all the concerns being
raised by the employees in town.
- Skill developmental training that is targeted to credentials
that is new so that the personnel can be confident when operating new systems.
- They admit the early-mover advantage and associate the
benefits with the deployment of the technology.
The result? Doubling of the digital transactions in six
months and a stellar increase in the customer satisfaction indices.
Case Study 2: Tech Culture Transformation in an SME
A Nigerian retail SME wanted to implement an ERP system as
part of business improvement. But in the beginning, this project faced
difficulties which mainly emanated from inadequate IT transition management.
Nevertheless, with the help of a proper selection of the change manager and
commitment to the teamwork approach, the organization achieved the change in
the system. Key tactics included:
- Consumerization for the administration of the task of
launching an ERP package.
- Organizing activities which can help a team improve
interpersonal communications and work in unison.
- The support of related problems after the implementation is
another vital factor.
The Role of Leadership in Driving Change
Management of technological change is considered an
important aspect of leadership in change management. Nigerian leaders must be
willing to change, understanding, and willing to learn. Managers who engage in
training, solicit ideas from subordinates and demonstrate expected new
behaviors are instrumental to promoting a tech culture change in the
organization.
Conclusion
This is a journey Nigeria is still on and therefore, any
lesson on change management cannot be overemphasized. From the standpoint of
managing change in organizations, change management is the link between vision
and reality.
Those organisations that encourage structural models of change will not only measure returns on investments in the new digital transformation processes at optimum levels but also create a greater discourse on the contemporary narrative of Nigerian technology advancement. Culturally sensitive implementations, stakeholders’ involvement, and employee enablement are effective ways by which organizations can overcome the challenges encountered in the successful implementation of technology systems and utilization of sustainable advances in Nigeria, which consequently opens up new business frontiers.