(IIARD International Journal Of Economics And Business Management, 2025-11-12) Yalokwu Patrick O; Ogaga-Oghene Joshua O; Omankhanlen Ehimare A
Underutilised capacity remains a significant challenge in Nigeria’s food and beverage sector despite the growing market for processed food and beverage products, which is indicative of a lack of process optimisation and a need for process innovation. This study examined the influence of leadership capability on process innovation. Survey research design with a sample of 353 managers drawn from six quoted companies was employed. The validated questionnaire was administered using proportional and simple random sampling techniques and the response rate was 61.19%. The PLS-SEM analysed data indicate that leadership capability has a positive and significant influence on process innovation (β = 0.871, R2 = 0.758, t-statistic = 38.790, and p-value = 0.000) The study recommended that leader-managers at all levels should grow and strengthen their leadership skills by establishing guidelines, strategically create work groups, and demonstrate leadership support.