Strategic Agility and Organisational Resilience: Evidence from Nigeria’s Industrial Sectors

This study examines the role of strategic agility (SA) in enhancing organisational performance (OP) within Nigeria’s industrial sectors, with a focus on the mediating effects of innovation capability (IC) and market leadership orientation (MLO). Guided by dynamic capability theory (DCT), this study employs a cross-sectional survey design targeting a population of 46,750 middle and senior-level managers. A multistage sampling approach, incorporating purposive and stratified random sampling, was used to select a statistically representative sample of 381 respondents. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM) to capture the complex interrelationships among the study variables. The findings indicate that IC significantly influences SA (66%) and directly impacts OP (48%), whereas MLO also exerts a substantial influence on SA (59%) and OP (42%). Notably, SA demonstrated a strong direct effect on OP (73%), highlighting its critical role as a dynamic capability to shape performance outcomes in volatile, resource-constrained environments. Mediation analysis further revealed that SA partially mediates the relationship between IC and OP (36%) and between MLO and OP (19%), underscoring the importance of agility as both an independent performance driver and transmission mechanism for first-order capabilities. These results provide valuable insights into both theory and practice. The findings extend DCT by emphasising agility’s dual role as a direct performance enabler and mediating mechanism in emerging markets characterised by institutional fragility and market volatility. This finding challenges the traditional assumption that second-order capabilities fully mediate the effects of first-order capabilities on performance. This study highlights the need for industrial firms to prioritise robust innovation systems, continuous learning and process re-engineering to boost adaptive capacity. Additionally, investing in market-oriented practices such as real-time customer feedback loops, competitive intelligence systems, and decentralised decision-making can enhance environmental responsiveness and strategic foresight.