Integrating Supply Chain and Customer Relationship Management Capabilities for Operational Excellence in Nigerian Airline Logistics

This study uses Air Peace airline as a case study to evaluate the interplay between Supply Chain Integration (SCI) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) within the context of Nigerian airline logistics. As global competition intensifies, airlines must adopt integrated supply chain frameworks and robust CRM strategies to enhance operational performance, customer satisfaction, and strategic agility. Data for the study were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 200 respondents, including staff and customers at Lagos and Abuja airports, and analyzed using SPSS 26 with reliability testing and principal component factor analysis. Findings reveal four key CRM dimensions: proactive customer engagement, digital booking and communication, real-time updates, and electronic complaint resolution. Similarly, twelve distinct supply chain orientation components emerged, including logistics strategy, operations management practices, customer need discovery, and competitor trend analysis. The paper highlights that SCI-CRM integration fosters enhanced visibility, responsiveness, and personalized service, thereby driving a competitive advantage. The study offers pragmatic managerial steps (API-based system integration, phased AI and IoT pilots, CRM-ERP middleware, staff reskilling) and policy recommendations (data governance, ICT incentives, PPP for airport services). Despite facing infrastructural and regulatory challenges, Nigerian airlines like Air Peace are moving toward customer-centric, digitally enabled logistics systems. This paper contributes to airline logistics literature by empirically demonstrating how SCI and CRM convergence enhance performance in developing economies. It recommends investment in ICT infrastructure, strategic partnerships, and adaptive CRM systems to foster sustainable logistics operations and customer loyalty in the Nigerian aviation industry.