Leveraging Emerging Technologies to Enhance Business Processes in Blue Economy Sectors: A Case Study of Anambra State’s Industrial Landscape

Charles Onyeka Nwamekwe¹, Precious Chinaza Uchenna², Stephen Chibuikem Onyedika³

¹ Lecturer, Department of Industrial/Production Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.

² Student, Department of Industrial/Production Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.

³ Lecturer, Department of Philosophy, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria.  

Abstract

This study examined how emerging technologies improve business processes within Anambra State’s blue economy sectors, with emphasis on aquaculture, fisheries, and inland water transport. It aimed to identify relevant technologies, assess their level of application, evaluate their operational effects, and determine the barriers limiting wider uptake. The study adopted a systematic review design grounded in thematic analysis and guided by Saunders’ Research Onion and PRISMA procedures. Literature was drawn from Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, using studies published from 2014 to 2024. The findings show that artificial intelligence, blockchain, big data analytics, and the Internet of Things improve process visibility, monitoring, traceability, coordination, and decision quality across blue economy activities. In fisheries and aquaculture, digital tools support water quality monitoring, production oversight, and market linkage. In inland transport and logistics, they improve cargo tracking, documentation flow, communication, and operational control. These gains remain uneven because adoption is constrained by unstable power supply, weak internet access, high technology cost, limited finance, skill deficits, maintenance difficulty, cybersecurity concerns, and policy uncertainty. Sector comparison shows that fisheries and aquaculture remain at an early adoption stage, while inland water transport is in a transitional stage with partial digital reform. The study concludes that technology integration in Anambra State’s blue economy depends on stronger infrastructure, targeted financing, workforce training, clear regulatory standards, and phased pilot implementation. It recommends coordinated action among government, industry, academia, and technology providers to improve adoption, strengthen sustainability, and support long-term process improvement.    

Keywords: Blue Economy, Business Process Optimization, Digital Transformation, Industry 4.0, Smart Manufacturing

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