International records / OpenAlex research

The Impact of Informal Networks on Business Development and Market Entry in Nigeria

This study examines the role of informal networks in facilitating business growth and shaping market entry strategies in Nigeria. Informal networks—such as kinship ties, community associations, religious groups, and social organizations—play a pivotal role in how both local and international businesses gain access, build trust, and acquire market intelligence within a complex and often unpredictable business environment. In contexts where formal institutional frameworks are perceived as slow, unreliable, or bureaucratically restrictive, these informal channels provide alternative pathways for …