Achieving Environmental Sustainability: The Contribution of Digital Automation Technologies of Industry 4.0 Used by Companies in Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35877/454RI.qems4039Keywords:
Carbon Emission, Digital Automation Technologies, Environmental Sustainability, Industry 4.0, Natural Resource Usage, Waste ManagementAbstract
The study investigated the contribution of digital automation technologies towards environmental sustainability practices of companies in Nigeria, and their level of implementation of these technologies. Four research questions were raised to achieve the study objectives. Cross-sectional survey design was used in the study. A sample size of one hundred and eighty-nine (189) respondents were drawn from a target population of accountants, top business managers, and Information Technology experts of manufacturing firms in Nigeria. Primary data were collected from the respondents with the use of a 4-point Likert-based questionnaire. Analysis of data collected was achieved by using frequency counts and Spearman Ranked Order Correlation Coefficient. The results showed that only Internet of Services have been implemented to a high degree while other elements of industry 4.0 have low implementation in Nigeria. It was equally found that digital automation technology implementation significantly enhances waste management practices, reduction in carbon emission, and natural resource use efficiency. The study recommends that managers of manufacturing firms in Nigeria should endeavour to acquire, implement and maintain digitized manufacturing facilities that use connected devices, machinery and production systems to continuously collect and share data in order to help the firms achieve more efficiency in their production processes.
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Truong, T. C. (2022). The Impact of Digital Transformation on Environmental Sustainability. Advances in Multimedia, 2022.
Upadhyay, D. (2017). Environmental Management-The Double Edged Sword: A Perspective. Journal of Physical Sciences, Engineering and Technology, 9(01), 35-45.
Usoro, A. D., Ezekiel, C. E. & Ojobah, L. O. (2021). The fourth industrial revolution: discourse and contexts shaping Nigeria’s participation. American Journal of Education and Information Technology, 5(2), 106-112.
Wang, L., Liu, S., & Xiong, W. (2022). The Impact of Digital Transformation on Corporate Environment Performance: Evidence from China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(19), 12846.
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Akpan, A. G. (2015). Adoption of artificial intelligence methods in Nigerian manufacturing companies (a case study of Nigerian bottling company, Port Harcourt) (MBA Thesis, National Open University of Nigeria).
Al Zadjali, S., & Ullah, A. (2021). Impact of Industry 4.0 in Manufacturing Sector. International Journal of Management Science and Business Administration, 7(6), 25-33.
Aliogo, U. (2021, May 21). FG Urged to Develop Industrial Policy for Manufacturing Sector. ThisDayLive. https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2021/05/24/fg-urged-to-develop-industrial-policy-for-manufacturing-sector/
Anari, S. O. (2019). Industry 4.0 and project performances in Nigeria (BSc. project report, University of Lagos).
Atik, H., & Ünlü, F. (2019). The measurement of industry 4.0 performance through industry 4.0 index: an empirical investigation for Turkey and European countries. Procedia Computer Science, 158, 852-860.
Bendig, D., Schulz, C., Theis, L., & Raff, S. (2023). Digital orientation and environmental performance in times of technological change. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 188, 122272.
Bode-Harrison, D. (2022, June 21). The Fourth Industrial Revolution: Unlocking the Gains for Nigeria. Eyecity. https://www.eyecity.ng/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-unlocking-the-gains-for-nigeria/
Brozzi, R., Forti, D., Rauch, E., & Matt, D. T. (2020). The advantages of industry 4.0 applications for sustainability: Results from a sample of manufacturing companies. Sustainability, 12(9), 3647.
Burritt, R., & Christ, K. (2016). Industry 4.0 and environmental accounting: a new revolution?. Asian Journal of Sustainability and Social Responsibility, 1(1), 23-38.
Cardinali, P. G., & De Giovanni, P. (2022). Responsible digitalization through digital technologies and green practices. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 29, 984–995.
Castellani, D., Lamperti, F., & Lavoratori, K. (2022). Measuring adoption of industry 4.0 technologies via international trade data: insights from European countries. Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, 49(1), 51-93.
Castelo-Branco, I., Oliveira, T., Simões-Coelho, P., Portugal, J., & Filipe, I. (2022). Measuring the fourth industrial revolution through the Industry 4.0 lens: The relevance of resources, capabilities and the value chain. Computers in Industry, 138, 103639.
Contini, G., & Peruzzini, M. (2022). Sustainability and Industry 4.0: Definition of a Set of Key Performance Indicators for Manufacturing Companies. Sustainability, 14(17), 11004.
Dusik, J., Fischer, T. B., Sadler, B., Therivel, R., & Saric, I. (2018). Strategic environmental and social assessment of automation: scoping working paper. ResearchGate, Berlin.
Dwivedi, Y. K., Hughes, L., Kar, A. K., Baabdullah, A. M., Grover, P., Abbas, R. & Wade, M. (2022). Climate change and COP26: Are digital technologies and information management part of the problem or the solution? An editorial reflection and call to action. International Journal of Information Management, 63, 102456.
Eze, Emmanuel & Asibuodu, Ugulu. (2021). Barriers to Adoption of Industry 4.0 in Managing Construction Materials by SMEs. In Exploring Contemporary Issues and Challenges in the Construction Industry: (CCC2021), Coventry, United Kingdom, 17 March 2021.
Feliciano-Cestero, M. M., Ameen, N., Kotabe, M., Paul, J., & Signoret, M. (2023). Is digital transformation threatened? A systematic literature review of the factors influencing firms’ digital transformation and internationalization. Journal of Business Research, 157, 113546.
Fredrich, V., & Bouncken, R. B. (2021). The double-edged sword of digitalization for firm performance. In ISPIM Conference Proceedings (pp. 1-16). The International Society for Professional Innovation Management (ISPIM).
Gabriel, M., & Pessl, E. (2016). Industry 4.0 and sustainability impacts: Critical discussion of sustainability aspects with a special focus on future of work and ecological consequences. Annals of the Faculty of Engineering Hunedoara, 14(2), 131.
Götz ?, J. B. (2020). Adoption of Industry 4.0 Technologies and Company Competitiveness: Case Studies from a Post-Transition Economy.–2020. Foresight and STI governance, 14(4), 61-78.
Hassan, N. A., Dagwa, I. M. & Muhammad, I. D. (2020). Integration of industry 4.0 to the Nigerian agricultural sector. International Journal of Engineering Technology Research & Management, 4(12), 84-90. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4331709
Herden, C. J., Alliu, E., Cakici, A., Cormier, T., Deguelle, C., Gambhir, S., & Edinger-Schons, L. M. (2021). Corporate Digital Responsibility”: New corporate responsibilities in the digital age. Nachhaltigkeits Management Forum, 29, 13-29.
Javaid, M., Haleem, A., Singh, R. P., Suman, R., & Gonzalez, E. S. (2022). Understanding the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies in improving environmental sustainability. Sustainable Operations and Computers.
Junge, A. L., & Straube, F. (2020). Sustainable supply chains–digital transformation technologies’ impact on the social and environmental dimension. Procedia Manufacturing, 43, 736-742.
Krésová, D. (2019). Can the Fourth Industrial Revolution-Industry 4.0-Hold the Future for Africa’s Industrialisation. Lund University.
Li, G., Jin, Y., & Gao, X. (2023). Digital transformation and pollution emission of enterprises: Evidence from China’s micro-enterprises. Energy Reports, 9, 552-567.
Liu, R., Gailhofer, P., Gensch, C. O., Köhler, A., Wolff, F., Monteforte, M. & Williams, R. (2019). Impacts of the digital transformation on the environment and sustainability. Issue Paper under Task, 3.
Maresova, P., Soukal, I., Svobodova, L., Hedvicakova, M., Javanmardi, E., Selamat, A., & Krejcar, O. (2018). Consequences of industry 4.0 in business and economics. Economies, 6(3), 46.
Nara, E. O. B., da Costa, M. B., Baierle, I. C., Schaefer, J. L., Benitez, G. B., do Santos, L. M. A. L., & Benitez, L. B. (2021). Expected impact of industry 4.0 technologies on sustainable development: A study in the context of Brazil's plastic industry. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 25, 102-122.
Nick, G., & Pongrácz, F. (2016). How to measure industry 4.0 readiness of cities. Industry 4.0, 1(2), 136-140.
Okafor, T. G. (2018). Environmental costs accounting and reporting on firm financial performance: a survey of quoted Nigerian oil companies. International Journal of Finance and Accounting, 7(1), 1-6.
Oláh, J., Aburumman, N., Popp, J., Khan, M. A., Haddad, H., & Kitukutha, N. (2020). Impact of Industry 4.0 on environmental sustainability. Sustainability, 12(11), 4674.
Olatunde, N. A., Gento, A. M., Okorie, V. N., Oyewo, O. W., Mewomo, M. C., & Awodele, I. A. (2022). Construction 4.0 technologies in a developing economy: awareness, adoption readiness and challenges. Frontiers in Engineering and Built Environment.
Orbik, Z., & Zozu?aková, V. (2019). Corporate social and digital responsibility. Management Systems in Production Engineering, 27(2), 79-83.
Pendergrass, K. L., Sampson, W., Walsh, T., & Alagna, L. (2019). Toward environmentally sustainable digital preservation. The American Archivist, 82(1), 165-206.
Senna, P. P., Ferreira, L. M. D., Barros, A. C., Roca, J. B., & Magalhães, V. (2022). Prioritizing barriers for the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 171, 108428.
Truong, T. C. (2022). The Impact of Digital Transformation on Environmental Sustainability. Advances in Multimedia, 2022.
Upadhyay, D. (2017). Environmental Management-The Double Edged Sword: A Perspective. Journal of Physical Sciences, Engineering and Technology, 9(01), 35-45.
Usoro, A. D., Ezekiel, C. E. & Ojobah, L. O. (2021). The fourth industrial revolution: discourse and contexts shaping Nigeria’s participation. American Journal of Education and Information Technology, 5(2), 106-112.
Wang, L., Liu, S., & Xiong, W. (2022). The Impact of Digital Transformation on Corporate Environment Performance: Evidence from China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(19), 12846.
Zhang, C., Chen, P., & Hao, Y. (2022). The impact of digital transformation on corporate sustainability-new evidence from Chinese listed companies. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 10.
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Published
2025-07-11
How to Cite
Okafor, T. G., & Nworie, G. O. (2025). Achieving Environmental Sustainability: The Contribution of Digital Automation Technologies of Industry 4.0 Used by Companies in Nigeria. Quantitative Economics and Management Studies, 6(5), 669–678. https://doi.org/10.35877/454RI.qems4039
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