Data Analysis and Ethics

Both primary and secondary data sources are used in the study to analyse digital resilience in
Nigeria's electricity sector comprehensively. Primary data will be obtained using direct data
collection methods: surveys, interviews, and case studies. Surveys will target employees across
various departments in the electricity sector to gather quantifiable information on technical
infrastructure, organisational culture, and cybersecurity practices. These questionnaires are
designed using the Likert scale, which enables the gathering of primary data in a structured
manner and helps elicit information on how employees view resilience practices (Leso et al.,
2022). Semi-structured interviews with selected stakeholders, such as managerial personnel,
technical human resources, and cybersecurity experts, will provide an added qualitative layer to
assess specific challenges, motives, and experiences in building digital resilience.
Other significant primary data sources are case studies that target a few selected organisations
operating in the Nigerian electricity sector, which have faced digital disruptions. Through
document analysis, case studies provide contextually rich examples of resilience management in
actual events as they provide critical insights into organisational responses to specific digital
threats, revealing how different resilience strategies are put into practice and what can be learned
from them (Hancock et al., 2021). The case studies will also include internal reports, operational
guidelines, and crisis management documents, which can be made available for review, enabling
this study to access information that might not be widely accessible through questionnaires or
interviews. These primary data sources bring breadth and depth to allow a multidimensional
exploration of resilience in this sector.
Secondary data sources deepen the understanding of the study by embedding digital resilience in
critical infrastructure within theoretical and contextual knowledge. The support for the literature
review and the theoretical framework of this study is grounded in academic papers, especially
peer-reviewed journal articles. These articles provided prior theories on Complex Adaptive
Systems and Resilience Theory and empirical studies of digital resilience and cybersecurity
within critical infrastructure sectors. These will be informed by industry studies published by
organisations like the World Economic Forum, the International Energy Agency, and
cybersecurity firms on the current resilience practices worldwide. These reveal the evolving
nature of digital threats, emerging technologies, and best resilience practices, thus providing
valuable comparisons for the Nigerian context.
Government reports and policy documents are another significant source of secondary data.
Reports from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, National Information Technology
Development Agency, and Central Bank of Nigeria provide guidelines, policies, and standards to
which digital resilience in the electricity sector will be subjected. These documents further
provide insight into Nigeria's general regulatory environment, cybersecurity initiatives, and
strategic plans for infrastructure resilience. Government reports further reveal loopholes in
regulations, challenges in implementation, and continuous efforts towards resilience
enhancement (Shamsuddin, 2020). These provide a real-world context to complement the
empirical data obtained from primary sources. Primary and secondary sources form a
comprehensive and robust database for the study.
Integrating both primary and secondary sources makes the research more reliable and deepens
the quality of the study by balancing original insights with established knowledge (Leso et al.,
2022). Primary information adds real-time views and experiences, while secondary information
places such findings in broader theoretical, regulatory, and global contexts. This harmonisation
of data sources allows the study to proffer empirical evidence, through a review of related
literature, for practical recommendations towards addressing significant unique challenges facing
the electricity sector of Nigeria from a relatively all-round perspective.
3.4 Data Analysis
In analysing the data, quantitative and qualitative analytical methods are combined with the
mixed-method approach of this study. Quantitative data emanating from survey responses are
analysed through statistical analyses using SPSS to support data processing for accuracy and
rigour. First, descriptive statistics summarises the data on responses related to infrastructure,
cybersecurity practices, and organisational resilience (Tsen et al., 2022). These descriptive
statistics aid in establishing preliminary trends, such as the frequent strategies of resilience or the
everyday challenges within the sector. Descriptive analysis gives a vivid snapshot of the
resilience factors experienced across various departments through central tendency and
variability measures.
This is followed by an inferential statistical analysis that tests the relationships of critical
variables and sets hypotheses concerning the determinants of digital resilience (Garrido-Moreno
et al., 2024). Regression models may also be conducted to test for possible causes and consider
the impacts of infrastructure quality, investment in cybersecurity, organisational culture, or other
variables about the outcome of resilience. These provide insight into which factors have
improved resilience considerably and where intervention may be needed. Strong correlations
between cybersecurity practices and resilience scores may underline the return of security
investments in the disruption mitigation process. Such analyses are then interpreted in light of
the theoretical framework of the present study and form a quantitative basis for the discussion of
resilience issues within the context of Nigeria.
Qualitative data analysis is done through thematic coding of interview transcripts, case study
documentation, and organisation reports. A qualitative tool analysis, NVivo, was used to support
the coding and organisation of themes for a more detailed pattern and insight exploration from
multiple qualitative sources. Thematic coding will highlight recurring themes, such as
emphasising regulatory challenges, deficiencies in infrastructure, and leadership roles for
resilience (Williams & Moser, 2019). These themes fall into broader categories that reflect the
study's research questions and, thus, provide a systematic basis on which the qualitative data will
be interpreted. This, therefore, is a thematic approach that helps identify central issues and
practical insights with a rich narrative that may contrast or complement the main statistical
findings.
Triangulation integrates both quantitative and qualitative data in a way that enhances the validity
of findings (Rooshenas et al., 2019). Triangulation will be effected through cross-verifying that
trends observed in survey responses find their resonance with the themes identified within
interviews and case studies. The study's findings are not made vulnerable but are robust and
multidimensional. For example, in a case where the results from the survey reveal the need to
enhance cybersecurity measures, triangulating such information with insights from interviews
can reveal specific organisational or regulatory impediments that prevent effective
implementation. This approach ensures that each finding is corroborated across multiple data
sources, strengthening the reliability of the study.
Finally, data analysis integrates the theoretical framework in that the findings match Complex
Adaptive Systems and Resilience Theory. For instance, the quantitative study on the
determinants of resilience links to the CAS theory in pointing out the decentralising of systems
and the significant capability to adapt. Similarly, the qualitative data provide thematic insights
interpreted in the light of Resilience Theory, which postulates that organisational culture,
leadership, and learning capacity are resilient. Such a theoretical alignment furthers the analysis
so that well-founded interpretations and recommendations will concurrently remain both data-
driven and theoretically informed. In light of this, data analysis utilises statistical and thematic
methods to ensure the analysis process yields comprehensive information on digital resilience in
the Nigerian Electricity Sector.
3.5 Ethical Considerations
Ethical considerations are essential in this study to ensure that participants' rights are taken into
consideration and that the whole research effort was conducted with integrity, from data
collection through analysis. The first ethical consideration in that regard is informed consent:
strategies will be provided to ensure that participants are informed of the purpose, procedures,
risks, and benefits of the study before allowing them to participate (Pietilä et al., 2019). Before
the actual collection of data, informed consent forms are obtained from participants, stating their
voluntary participation and explaining that they may withdraw at any stage of the research
without penalty. It should also describe what data would be collected, like records on surveys
and interviews, indicating no participant should incur adverse effects for being part of this. It
involves informed consent where, within the research, a step is taken to ensure that any
information disclosed is by consent and respects each participant's autonomy.
Data confidentiality is also a critical ethical issue in this study, given the sensitive information
regarding digital resilience and cybersecurity in Nigeria's electricity sector. It ensures that
confidentiality is protected and that collected data is anonymised before the examination so that
personal identifiers have been eliminated (Pietilä et al., 2019). In such a way, numerical or
alphabetical identifiers code the data in questionnaires and interviews where individual responses
cannot be traced back to participants. Also, all digital data are encrypted and secured with strong
passwords, and access is given only to authorised research personnel. In cases where physical
documents are used, all are kept in locked cabinets. With these measures in place, this study
minimises the potential for unauthorised disclosure of private information, thus protecting
privacy among participants.
Moreover, confidentiality is ensured when reporting the findings to prevent the disclosure of
organisationally sensitive information (Pietilä et al., 2019). All findings are reported at an
aggregated level in the final report; thus, it is impossible to identify a particular participant or an
organisation based on data. For instance, in a case where a case study organisation may provide
in-depth insight into the practice of resilience, only general information has been shared in the
study's findings to prevent breaching confidentiality. This is particularly so in many contexts,
such as that of the electricity sector in Nigeria, where pointing out frailties within the security or
resilience aspect could make organisations vulnerable to greater extents. Therefore,
confidentiality protocols are reinforced throughout the data management and reporting processes.
Research bias is another ethical consideration ensuring the study's validity and non-biased
nature. Usually, this includes personal opinions or views of the researcher, his expectations, or
contact with the respondents that eventually may affect data collection and interpretation (Pietilä
et al., 2019). To minimise such an effect, the study will use standardised instruments, including
structured questionnaires and questions for interviewees set beforehand that exclude biased
wording or leading wordings. The tone is neutral in interviews, whereby a researcher avoids
giving an opinion during the process so that participants can express themselves easily. In
addition, data analysis procedures are also systematic because they rely on statistical and coding
software to minimise subjective interpretation, ensuring that findings are based on empirical
evidence rather than influenced by a researcher.
This study also encompasses possible ethical issues related to an imbalance of power, especially
in the interviews with the participants at different organisational positions. Participants may feel
compelled to give answers that they perceive will be pleasing to the researcher if the latter is in
an influential position (Pietilä et al., 2019). The interviews, however, will be positioned as one-
on-one confidential discussions where there is no "right" or "wrong" answer. It was known that
any question that might have made them uneasy was at their discretion to decline. The moderator
made every effort to establish mutual respect and no hierarchy, thus minimising compulsion or
pressure on participants to ensure accurate and candid responses, making the analysis balanced.
The research also teaches procedures to avoid misusing or misrepresenting information, as
sensitive information is gathered in digital resilience and cybersecurity practices (Pietilä et al.,
2019). All data will be used strictly for the purposes mentioned above in this research and will
not be distributed to any third party. Findings disseminated should be precisely
presented and consistent with the study's purpose. Findings should not be exaggerated or
misinterpreted to present sensational data. Publication practices also extend ethical responsibility
so that findings are communicated with proper stakeholders commensurate with the recognition
of insights provided by participants while maintaining confidentiality.
Lastly, the research is bound by the ethical guidelines developed by various research institutions
and governing bodies concerning human subject research. Ethical clearance will be obtained
from reviewing boards before actual data collection to ensure that it meets acceptable ethical
standards, and this involves the presentation of the research proposal, which describes the
purpose of the study, how the data are handled, and how risks are minimised or eliminated.
Ethical clearance means that the survey confirms its commitment to responsible research ethics
that respect the rights of all participants while adding meaningful insight into digital resilience in
the electricity sector in Nigeria (Pietilä et al., 2019). A comprehensive approach to ethics
enhances integrity and fosters trust between the researcher and the participant.