Digital Innovation and Performance in a Public Sector Para-Military Organisation: Unveiling the Mediating mechanisms of Transformational Leadership

Public-sector paramilitary organisations in developing country contexts face increasing pressure to enhance operational efficiency, border security, and service delivery amid rising migration complexities and technological change. The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has struggled with bureaucratic inefficiencies, legacy systems, and capacity constraints, creating an urgent need for digitally enabled reforms. This study investigates how digital innovation can improve organisational performance in the NIS, and examines the mediating role of transformational leadership in the relationship between digital innovation and organisational performance. Underpinned by the dynamic capabilities theory, the study employed quantitative survey research with primary data using questionnaire as a survey instrument on 222 respondents drawn from high-ranking officers of the NIS Headquarters in Abuja and Lagos Nigeria. The data collected was analysed using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modelling (Smart-PLS) to test the significance of the variables. The findings revealed significant and positive relationships, emphasizing the strategic influence of digital innovation driving organizational performance (β = 0.360, t = 10.024, f2 = 0.166, R2 =0.452, Adjusted R2 = 0.447 and р ˂ 0.05.). These results offer strategic insights into the valuable relevance of digital innovation to drive organisational performance in the public sector. Transformational leadership emerged as a critical determinant of an enhanced performance. The study offers important implications for public policy and administrative reform. It suggests that government efforts to modernise agencies like the NIS should move beyond technology acquisition to include leadership development, institutional capacity building, and change management frameworks. Embedding transformational leadership within digital reform strategies can enhance policy effectiveness, strengthen organisational resilience, and improve public service outcomes in security-sensitive sectors.