Factors Influencing Merchants’ Willingness to Participate in E-commerce Marketing in Digital Africa: A Case Study of Lagos, Nigeria

This study examines the current state of merchants’ participation in e-commerce marketing within the context of the digital economy, focusing on merchants in Lagos, Nigeria. It explores the impact of behavioral attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and traditional transaction costs on their willingness to engage in e-commerce marketing. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and employing a questionnaire survey, the study utilizes SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 22.0 for data analysis. The findings confirm the significant positive effects of behavioral attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control on merchants’ willingness, as well as the significant negative effect of traditional transaction costs. The results indicate that the advancement of digital economy policies has lowered participation barriers for merchants, with factors such as behavioral attitudes, social support, and digital skills playing crucial roles in decision-making. This paper recommends enhancing the usability of e-commerce platforms, improving infrastructure, and optimizing policy support. These suggestions provide theoretical insights and practical guidance for promoting Nigeria’s digital economy and advancing research on merchants’ e-commerce behavior.