Title: Succession Planning And Entrepreneurial Agility Of Small And Medium Enterprises In Rivers State, Nigeria
Authors: Igbafe Oluseye Omolade and B. Chima Onuoha
Volume: 10
Issue: 1
Pages: 235-244
Publication Date: 2026/01/28
Abstract:
This study examined the influence of succession planning practices, specifically leadership development and knowledge transfer, on entrepreneurial agility, measured through strategic flexibility and adaptive innovation. The aim was to determine how structured succession planning contributes to agility and competitiveness among SMEs in Rivers State. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was adopted. The population comprised 420 registered SMEs in Rivers State. Using the Krejcie and Morgan (1970) sample size table, a sample of 201 firms was determined. A stratified random sampling technique was employed to ensure representation across manufacturing, services, and trade sectors. Data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to owners, managers, and supervisors, with 187 responses returned and 172 deemed valid after screening. The data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares - Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS version 4.0 software. The findings revealed that both leadership development and knowledge transfer significantly enhance entrepreneurial agility. Leadership development showed stronger effects on strategic flexibility and adaptive innovation, while knowledge transfer ensured continuity and preserved organizational memory, enabling firms to adapt and innovate effectively. The study concludes that succession planning is a critical driver of entrepreneurial agility in SMEs in Rivers State. It recommends that SMEs invest in structured leadership development programs to strengthen successors' adaptive capacity, institutionalize knowledge transfer mechanisms to preserve organizational memory, cultivate leadership pipelines that foster creativity and resilience, and embed systematic knowledge-sharing practices to combine past insights with new ideas for innovation.