EFFECT OF GREEN PRACTICES ON ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY OF MANUFACTURING SMES IN KEBBI STATE

Abstract

This study examined effect of green practices on environmental sustainability of manufacturing SMEs in Kebbi State, Nigeria proxied by green manufacturing practices and green supply-chain management. Adopting a cross-sectional survey design with a census approach, structured questionnaires were distributed to all 68 registered manufacturing SMEs across the state’s three senatorial zones. The collected data were analysed using multiple regression technique. The model was significant and explained 60.4 % of the variance in environmental sustainability. Green manufacturing practices emerged as the stronger predictor, indicating that eco-efficient process redesign, waste minimisation and energy-saving technologies markedly enhance sustainability scores. Green supply-chain management. also showed a positive, though smaller, effect, confirming that greener purchasing, logistics and reverse flows provide additional gains. These results led to the rejection of both null hypotheses that green manufacturing practices and green supply-chain management. have no significant effect on Environmental Sustainability manufacturing firms in Kebbi State. The study recommends that plant owners prioritise investments in energy-efficient machinery, closed-loop material handling and staff eco-training to capitalise on the large green manufacturing practices pay-offs, while supply-chain leaders should embed green criteria in contracts and adopt ISO 14001 to amplify green supply-chain management. benefits; policymakers can reinforce these moves with tax rebates for green logistics fleets and fast-track approvals for firms disclosing Scope 3 emissions.