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  <front>
    <journal-meta>
      <journal-id journal-id-type="publisher">BJCR</journal-id>
      <journal-title-group>
        <journal-title xml:lang="en">British Journal of Contemporary Research</journal-title>
        <abbrev-journal-title xml:lang="en">BJCR</abbrev-journal-title>
      </journal-title-group>
      <issn>2979-8582</issn>
      <publisher>
        <publisher-name>Bexford Publishing Ltd</publisher-name>
        <publisher-loc><uri>https://bexfordpublishing.co.uk</uri></publisher-loc>
      </publisher>
    </journal-meta>
    <article-meta>
      <article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">BEX_OCT_26_129</article-id>
      <article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.67693/BJCR-Z9XQ6B88</article-id>
      <article-categories>
        <subj-group xml:lang="en" subj-group-type="heading">
          <subject>Review Article</subject>
        </subj-group>
      </article-categories>
      <title-group>
        <article-title xml:lang="en">Digital Trade Financing and SMEs Export Intensity in Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)</article-title>
      </title-group>
      <contrib-group content-type="author">
      <contrib corresp="yes">
        <name-alternatives>
          <name name-style="western" specific-use="primary">
            <given-names>OMALI JOSHUA UGBEDE</given-names>
          </name>
        </name-alternatives>
        <email>profobj2000@gmail.com</email>
        <bio xml:lang="en"><p>Institute Of International Trade And Development, University Of Port Harcourt, Nigeria</p></bio>
      </contrib>
      <contrib>
        <name-alternatives>
          <name name-style="western" specific-use="primary">
            <given-names>Omali Joshua Ugbede</given-names>
          </name>
        </name-alternatives>
        <email>joshuomali2017@gmail.com</email>
        <bio xml:lang="en"><p>IITD University of Port Harcourt</p></bio>
      </contrib>
      </contrib-group>
      <pub-date date-type="pub" publication-format="epub">
        <day>10</day>
        <month>11</month>
        <year>2026</year>
      </pub-date>
      <volume>1</volume>
      <issue>6</issue>
      
      
      <pub-history>
        <event event-type="received">
          <event-desc>Received: <date date-type="received">
            <day>15</day>
            <month>10</month>
            <year>2026</year>
          </date></event-desc>
        </event>
        
        <event event-type="accepted">
          <event-desc>Accepted: <date date-type="accepted">
            <day>21</day>
            <month>10</month>
            <year>2026</year>
          </date></event-desc>
        </event>
      </pub-history>
      <permissions>
        <copyright-statement>Copyright (c) 2026 OMALI JOSHUA UGBEDE</copyright-statement>
        <copyright-year>2026</copyright-year>
        <license xlink:href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0">
          <license-p>This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.</license-p>
        </license>
      </permissions>
      <abstract><p>ABSTRACT
This study examined the impact of digital trade financing on the performance of Small and Medium Enterprises export intensity in the Economic Community of West African States region (proxy for Developing Economies) over the period 2019 to 2024. The study employed panel data from fifteen ECOWAS member and utilized a robust methodological framework comprising Hausman specification tests, random effects estimations, Difference Generalized Method of Moments, and System Generalized Method of Moments estimators to address issues of endogeneity, unobserved heterogeneity, and dynamic panel bias. The Hausman test results found that, random effect is appropriate hence the application of GMM instrument. The Difference GMM results confirmed strong persistence in export intensity with lagged dependent variable coefficient 0.190627 and probability value 0.0000. The J-statistics for GMM estimations were effectively zero, confirming instrument validity. The study concludes that, digital trade financing exerts significant and heterogeneous effects on SME export intensity performance in the ECOWAS region. Digital standby letters of credit showed negative effects on export intensity. Dynamic discounting strongly supports digital transactions and exports. Internet penetration consistently enables export intensity. The study recommends that, policymakers prioritize digital standby letter of credit development, accelerate digital infrastructure investments and support continued research on digital trade finance and SME export intensity in the ECOWAS region.
Key Words: Digital trade, Export intensity, Internet penetration, Trade finance, SMEs.</p></abstract>
    </article-meta>
  </front>
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