Digital Procurement Platforms and Marketing Efficiency of Software Firms: Evidence from Mobile Procurement and E-Sourcing Adoption in Nigeria

The rapid digital transformation of organizational processes has significantly reshaped procurement practices and their strategic role in enhancing firm performance. Digital procurement platforms, particularly mobile procurement, and e-sourcing technologies, enable organizations to streamline sourcing activities, improve supplier coordination, and enhance operational responsiveness. Despite the growing adoption of these technologies, limited empirical attention has been given to their implications for marketing efficiency, especially within software firms operating in emerging economies. This study examines the relationship between digital procurement platforms and marketing efficiency among software firms in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study investigates the influence of mobile procurement platforms and e-sourcing platforms on customer acquisition rate and customer retention rate. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, and primary data were collected from professionals in software firms using structured questionnaires. Out of 30 questionnaires distributed, 22 valid responses were obtained and analyzed using Spearman’s Rank Order Correlation. The results reveal that mobile procurement platforms have a strong positive relationship with customer acquisition rate (ρ = 0.723) and customer retention rate (ρ = 0.788). In addition, e-sourcing platforms exhibit a weak positive relationship with customer acquisition rate (ρ = 0.378) and a moderate positive relationship with customer retention rate (ρ = 0.573). The study contributes to the digital procurement and marketing performance literature by demonstrating that procurement technologies can serve as strategic enablers of marketing efficiency in technology-driven firms. The findings highlight the need for software firms to integrate digital procurement capabilities into their operational and marketing strategies to enhance competitiveness and customer relationship outcomes.