Abdulazeez Alhaji Salau1
Mutiat Oyinlola Oladosu2
Kelechi Kyrian Okpara3
Fatai Bello4
1Department of Business and Entrepreneurship
Faculty of Management and Social Sciences, Kwara State University, Malete.
2Department of Business Administration
College of Management and Social Sciences, Fountain University Osogbo
3Banking Services, Central Bank of Nigeria, Ilorin Branch
4Department of Business and Entrepreneurship,
Faculty of Management and Social Sciences, Kwara State University, Malete.
Abstract
This study examines the effect of customer co-creation on firm growth in the Nigerian telecommunications industry using an experimental research design. A total of 400 participants (N=400), comprising 200 distributors and 200 operational staff, were randomly assigned to either a treatment group (n=200) or a control group (n=200). The treatment group engaged in structured customer co-creation activities, including product development participation, service customization, and digital engagement platforms, implemented over a four-month period. Data were collected at both pre- and post-intervention phases through structured questionnaires. Key performance indicators measured included product development participation, service customization, engagement platforms, and overall firm growth. Inferential analyses, including paired sample t-tests, independent sample t-tests, and ANCOVA, revealed that customer cocreation positively and significantly influenced firm growth outcomes. In particular, service customization showed the most notable improvement post-intervention. ANCOVA results indicated a statistically significant effect of the co-creation intervention on growth (F(68,131)=28.18, p<.001), with a very large effect size (R²=.936; Adjusted R²=.903). The treatment group demonstrated superior improvements across all performance dimensions relative to the control group. These findings underscore the strategic importance of embedding customer co-creation mechanisms in organizational processes to foster sustainable growth. Study limitations include the use of self-reported data and a relatively short observation window. Implications for managerial practice, policy, and theory development are presented, highlighting the necessity of institutionalizing co-creation frameworks to drive competitiveness in the telecommunications sector.
Keywords: Customer Co-Creation, Firm Performance, Telecommunications, Experimental Design, Emerging Market
