The Role of Ambidextrous Innovation in Enhancing Business Adaptability Amidst Nigeria's Economic Challenges

Abstract

This study explores the role of ambidextrous innovation in enhancing business adaptability amid Nigeria’s challenging economic environment. Using qualitative data from structured interviews with business leaders across sectors including banking, oil and gas, manufacturing, project management, and small-scale enterprises the research investigates how firms balance the dual imperatives of exploration and exploitation. Findings reveal that while firms widely recognize the necessity of ambidextrous innovation for survival and competitiveness, adoption is shaped by sector-specific dynamics and constrained by internal resistance to change, managerial rigidity, and insufficient investment in research and development. Respondents emphasized that innovation is driven primarily by market pressures, technological shifts, and the imperative to remain sustainable in a volatile economic landscape. Despite challenges, firms that actively integrate both incremental and exploratory innovation approaches are better positioned to diversify offerings, withstand shocks, and respond to shifting customer demands.The study contributes to the ongoing discourse on innovation strategy by offering contextual insights into how ambidexterity is understood and operationalized in a developing economy. It highlights the variability in implementation across sectors, reinforcing the need for tailored innovation approaches that reflect distinct industry realities.Based on the findings, it is recommended that firms build leadership capacity that supports innovation, institutionalize change management practices, and invest strategically in R&D infrastructure. Policymakers should implement sector-sensitive innovation support mechanisms and create an enabling environment that lowers barriers to dual innovation practices for firms of varying sizes and capabilities.