REVOLUTIONIZING EXPORT PERFORMANCE: A STUDY OF NIGERIAN COMPANIES IN SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONES

Given the scope and complexity of the issues at hand, a survey research strategy was adopted to investigate the impact of special economic zones in Nigeria on the innovation and export performance of multinational corporations. All of the SEZs in Lagos State that are operational make up the study population. A sample size of 250 employees were selected from the 11 operational SEZs in Lagos State. A method called "purposive sampling" was used in the research. Questionnaires using a five-point Likert scale were used to collect the bulk of the data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. To determine if there are statistically significant relationships between the variables, a Spearman Rank Order Correlation Coefficient analysis was performed. A favourable correlation between product, process, and marketing innovations and export performance was found through statistical analysis. The results of the study show a strong connection between innovation and the export success of businesses located in Nigeria's special economic zones. Businesses in SEZs should invest heavily in R&D to create cutting-edge products for the international market. In order to increase their export competitiveness, businesses in SEZs should undertake process audits and use cutting-edge manufacturing practices. Businesses operating in SEZs would do well to investigate innovative and individualized approaches to marketing in order to break into new international markets and clearly articulate the value they provide to clients in those countries