THE IMPACT OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE ON SUSTAINABILITY OF SMEs IN NIGERIA

This study investigates the interface between corporate governance practices and the sustainable continuity of Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. SMEs constitute a vital pillar of the national economy, serving as engines of innovation, employment generation, and income redistribution. Corporate governance, in this context, denotes the institutional arrangements, normative procedures, and managerial protocols that steer organizational conduct toward accountability, transparency, and ethical responsibility. Sustainability is conceptualized as the enterprise’s capacity to function in a manner that harmonizes economic viability with social obligations and environmental prudence, while safeguarding long-term resilience. The study employed a qualitative research orientation. A total of twenty-five SMEs formed the study population, selected purposively to reflect experiential depth. Data were gathered through open-ended questionnaires and analysed thematically through both manual coding and NVivo 12 software. The empirical insights indicate that many SME operators emphasise the need for localized, context-sensitive training as a more feasible route to governance adoption. The study concludes that governance practices, such as explicit role delineation, systematic record management, and structured decision-making routines, substantially reinforce organizational coherence, accountability, and long-term sustainability. It recommends a gradual migration from informal managerial practices to more formal governance structures, allowing SMEs to build stronger internal systems without disrupting existing operational cultures.