Beyond the bottom line: Institutional pressures and green procurement in Nigeria’s automotive aftermarket sector

Abstract

Background: Green Public Procurement (GPP) is a key policy instrument for advancing sustainable development, yet the factors driving its adoption in developing economies remain underexplored.
Objectives: This study examines the institutional pressures influencing GPP implementation in Nigeria’s automotive aftermarket sector, a strategically important but understudied context.
Method: A qualitative research design was employed, drawing on 14 in-depth interviews with senior managers in Nigeria’s Ministry of Transportation. Guided by institutional theory, the study explores how green purchasing is used to promote supplier compliance with environmental requirements.
Results: The findings reveal that GPP implementation is largely compliance-driven and shaped primarily by coercive pressures. National regulatory requirements and mandatory ISO 14001 certification emerged as key drivers of green procurement practices. Mimetic pressures helped to reduce uncertainty through the adoption of recognised best practices, while normative pressures were comparatively weak. This imbalance created an external–internal knowledge gap that hindered the deeper institutionalisation of sustainability values within public organisations.
Conclusion: Although coercive mechanisms play a critical role in driving GPP adoption, their effectiveness is limited without stronger normative capacity and greater internal commitment to sustainability. Environmental certification also serves as an important gateway for suppliers seeking access to public sector contracts.
Contribution: By providing a rare empirical account of compliance-driven GPP in a developing economy, this study extends institutional theory and offers practical insights into how public organisations respond to institutional pressures in pursuing sustainability objectives beyond economic considerations.