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International Journal of Management
Volume 11, Issue 09, September 2020, pp. 485-499. Article ID: IJM_11_09_045
Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/ijm/issues.asp?JType=IJM&VType=11&IType=9
Journal Impact Factor (2020): 10.1471 (Calculated by GISI) www.jifactor.com
ISSN Print: 0976-6502 and ISSN Online: 0976-6510
DOI: 10.34218/IJM.11.9.2020.045
© IAEME Publication Scopus Indexed
DISSECTING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC
DYNAMICS OF ENTREPRENEURIAL
INTERVENTIONS IN THE SOUTH-SOUTH,
NIGERIA
Eromafuru Edward Godbless
Department of Business Administration, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria
Akobundu Eleazar Goddey
Department of Business Administration, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria
Yahaya Garba Hassan
Department of Business Administration, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria
Uguru Godwin Ewere
Department of Business Administration, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
There are paucity of empirical works to gauge the linkage between Nigerian
entrepreneurial practice and socio-economic well-being of people in the Niger- Delta
region of Nigeria. The Niger-delta, an oil-rich region of the country, and accounts for
the nation’s largest share of the national income and foreign reserve, is in the south-
south geo-political zone of the country. Over the years however, the people have not
fully felt government impasse in terms of social and capital infrastructures, gainful
employment, and a safe haven for robust businesses and investments. Past efforts by
stakeholders to revamp the infrastructural epidemic in the areas have been met with
utmost derision. In effect, feelings of discontentment, homicide, crime wave, moral
decadence, juvenile delinquencies, poverty, disruption of oil operations by hoodlums,
hostage taking, forced relocation, and intimidations, have now become acceptable
norms and ways of life among people in the region. Concerted efforts by the succeeding
regimes to enhance the living conditions of the citizens through direct employment have
left millions of others unemployed just as many have become impoverished. Hinging
squarely on Wennekers and Thurik theoretical underpinnings, and using multiple
regression models to analyze the relationship among the intervening variables, the
study has found significant positive relationship between entrepreneurial enhancing
programmes of business creations, wealth creations, education and training; and socio-
Dissecting the Socio-Economic Dynamics of Entrepreneurial Interventions in the South-South,
Nigeria
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economic living of people through job creations, employment generation, poverty
reduction, and women/youth capacity building. The study recommended inclusive and
expanded framework for developing human capital potentials in the region through
systematic investment in entrepreneurial upgrading ventures to bring succor to the
people in the oil-rich region of Nigeria. The study also provides an impetus to relevant
government agencies and concerned stakeholders in developing effective
entrepreneurial curriculum and programme that will equip youths and make them more
self-reliant and less dependent on government and other private stakeholders.
Keywords: Dissecting, Socio-Economic dynamics, Entrepreneurial interventions,
living standards, South-South Nigeria.
Cite this Article: Eromafuru Edward Godbless, Akobundu Eleazar Goddey, Yahaya
Garba Hassan and Uguru Godwin Ewere, Dissecting the Socio-Economic Dynamics of
Entrepreneurial Interventions in the South-South, Nigeria, International Journal of
Management, 11 (9), 2020, pp. 485-499.
http://www.iaeme.com/IJM/issues.asp?JType=IJM&VType=11&IType=9
1. INTRODUCTION
The mounting spate of unemployment, youth restiveness, poverty, crime, moral degradation,
explosive population growth, coupled with the need to compete effectively in the global
markets, are mounting pressures on the Nigerian government and other stakeholders to fast-
tract measures to stimulate entrepreneurial re-thinking and practices among Nigerians. There is
general consensus among scholars that entrepreneurship enhances economic growth and
development of any nation (Naude, 2011). Across the globe, among the industrialized nations
of the world, it is realized that sustainable development is driven by the innovation, invention,
creativity and enterprise of the people. In the recent times, entrepreneurship has occupied a
center pace in the social platform due to its strategic role in developing the nation’s economic,
social and technological infrastructures. The leading industrialized countries in the world today
such as USA, China, UK, Japan, Germany, have traced their antecedents to building strategic
collaboration with the private sectors through entrepreneurial-oriented programmes and
initiatives. Such strategic alliances have translated to optimum resource allocation, wealth
creation, employment generation, and improved living standard of people (Riti & Kamah,
2015).
World Bank report (2010) identified wide-range operational bottlenecks confronting
Nigerian businesses, including poor access to finance, inadequate electricity supply, poor
transportation system, poor access to land, unfriendly tax regime, high cost of finance, high
crime rate, corruption, political uncertainties, custom/excise duty, and regime change. British
Council (2010) in its “next generation report” highlighted that Nigeria needs to develop the
infrastructure that will underpin a world class economy through diversification into the sectors
that will improve employment prospects for young people, while removing obstacles to
economic development and private enterprises. Poised by the need to promote self-reliance and
industrial development in the country, the Nigerian Federal Government in 1986, launched the
economic reform programme that sparked a gradual shift from the high capital intensive
business (large scale) to the low capital intensive one (small and micro enterprises). Prag and
Cramer (2001) in their study observed that employment is much more generated from medium,
small and micro enterprises (MSMEs) than large scale businesses. From the global terrain,
entrepreneurial development through education has been receiving increasing impetus. For the
purpose of developing both entrepreneurship spirit and culture, Akpomi (2009) reported that
pressures have mounted on the government and other stakeholders to establish training and
Eromafuru Edward Godbless, Akobundu Eleazar Goddey, Yahaya Garba Hassan and Uguru Godwin
Ewere
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research centers that are entrepreneurial driven. In this regard, efforts have to be geared toward
mobilizing and enhancing entrepreneurial activities which will consequently benefit
individuals, government and society at large.
Still, in a bid to step up efforts toward promoting entrepreneurship, the federal government
directed the administrative bodies of all higher institution in Nigeria to introduce
entrepreneurship as a mandatory course of study for all students effective from 2007/2008
academic session (Aliu, 2008). Besides entrepreneurial education, there are other schemes and
programmes through which technical and financial assistance is rendered to entrepreneurs. The
federal government in collaboration with the foreign agencies such as World Bank, Africa
Development Bank (ADB) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
continued to make capital available to SMEs. The small and medium scale enterprises became
recognized when government realized that large scale business cannot operate in all aspect of
the nation’s economy and certain schemes were floated to take care of their development and
smooth operations.
At the national scene, the federal government in a bid to aid the development of SMES, has
established agencies such as the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy
(NEEDS); Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN); Youth
Enterprise with Initiative (YEWIN), Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES) and among others.
In pursuant of the development of entrepreneurship, the government has through the Bank of
Industry (BOI) and Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) invested money in some schemes
which render financial and technical assistance to entrepreneurs. According to Agbeze (2012)
Nigeria is developing the subsector through people with innovative, creative ability and
entrepreneurial attitude in area of Agriculture and Agro-allied business, hospitality and tourism
business, waste management business, engineering and fabrication works, automobile, foot
wears, financial and banking services, building and construction, machine and tools fabrication
and among others which offer greater potential both in employment generation and Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) than that of the oil sector.
Despite government’s determined efforts and interest in the nation’ SMES, unemployment
and other social malaise still remain un-abated (Ajayi, 2016). Cases of kidnapping, armed
robbery, armed conflicts, lootings, wanton destruction of lives and property, pipeline
vandalism, being reported in the national dailies and media have been the result of youth
restiveness in most parts of Nigeria. The situation is even more pathetic in the Niger-Delta
region which produced bulk of the nation’s revenue through crude oil exploration. World Bank
(1996) described Nigeria as a paradox in the sense that the wealth of the nation contradicts the
poverty level in the country. Nigeria with its immense wealth, rather than recording increase in
the countries socio-economic development has declined from one of the 50 richest countries in
the 70s to one of the 25 poorest countries at the threshold of 21st century. Monumental training
programmes over the years for the acquisition of skills have neither reflected on the number of
start-up businesses nor in tandem with labour market requirements. Prior to the 3rd quota of
2016, where Nigeria experienced negative gross domestic product (GDP) in the first and second
quarters, the Federal Government had confirmed the country to be in recession and a state of
emergency declared on the economy. According to the global economic index, Savido (2016)
reported that Nigeria has been experiencing a positive Gross Domestic Product (+GDP) growth
over the last 10 years averaging 6.8% in 2003 to 7.67% in 2013, thereby making Nigeria
economy to be the second largest economy and the highest producers of oil and Gas in Africa.
Following an April 2014 economic “rebasing” exercise by the federal government, Nigeria
emerged as Africa largest economy, with 2015 GDP estimated at $1.1 trillion nominal terms.
Nigeria economic growth over the last five years (2010 to 2015) has been spurred by growth in
telecommunication, Agriculture and services which includes the effective recapitalization of
Dissecting the Socio-Economic Dynamics of Entrepreneurial Interventions in the South-South,
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the Banking sector. It is pertinent to state that economy diversification and strong growth have
not translated into significant improvement in living standards as over 62% of Nigerians
representing 170 million people still live in extreme poverty. GDP growth in 2015 fell to
around 3% due to lower oil prices and government revenues decline, while non-oil sector also
shrank due to economic policy uncertainty (CAI World Face book October, 8, 16). In March
2015, the federal government announced plans to increase transparency, diversify the economy
away from oil, improve fiscal and monetary policy management, develop public–private
partnership for roads, agriculture and power, fight insurgency and herd’s men menace in
different parts of the country.
A release by the National Bureau of Statistics (2016) indicated that the country was in
recession with the growth rate shrinking at –0.36%, –2.06% and -2.26% in the first, second and
third quarters respectively. The rate of unemployment increased as the number of those
unemployed rose to above 4.5million in the 2nd quarter of 2016, While the number of
underemployed (people doing menial job or jobs for less than their academic qualification or
training) rose significantly during same period in review. Unemployment rate in Nigeria
increased to 23.10 percent in the third quarter of 2018 from 22.70 percent in the second quarter
of 2018 (tradingeconomics.com) – National Bureau of Statistics. Related findings, based on
projection by the world poverty clock and compiled by Brookings Institute, show that more
than 643 million people across the world live in extreme poverty with African accounting for
two thirds of the total number. Ahead of India, it is estimated that 87 million Nigerians live in
extreme poverty, implying that around half of the country’s population is thought to be living
on less than $1.90 a day (edition.cnn.com; www.businessamlive.com, June, 26, 2018). Earlier,
in the second quarter of 2017, the Nigeria’s unemployment rate worsened from 16.2 percent in
the second quarter to 18.8 percent in the third quarter of the year. During that year, the number
of people within the labour force who were unemployed increased from 13.6 million in the
second quarter to 15.9 million in the third quarter of the year. Arising from the above the study
has stressed the need for federal government to diversify the economy by forging alliance with
the private sectors of the economy and provide a safe haven climate where entrepreneurship
can thrive.
1.1. HYPOTHESES
H1 There is no significant relationship between entrepreneurship and employment
generation in Nigeria
H2 Entrepreneurship does not significantly affect poverty reduction in the Nigeria.
H3 Entrepreneurship does not significantly lead to reduction in youth restiveness in the
South-South Nigeria.
H4 Entrepreneurial activity has no significant relationship with literacy level.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1. Theoretical Framework
This study hinges on Wennekers and Thurik (1999) model to explain how entrepreneurship is
linked with economic growth and socio-economic well-being of people. The theory was first
developed by Carree and Thurik (2002) where they made distinction among three levels of
analysis: The individual level; the firm level, and the macro level. The authors concurred that
entrepreneurial activity starts at the individual level which is traceable to a single person, the
entrepreneur. But realization is achieved at the firm level; as such start-ups or innovations are
vehicles for transforming personal entrepreneurial qualities and ambitions into actions. At the
macro level, the entrepreneurial activities are susceptible to competition among firms which
Eromafuru Edward Godbless, Akobundu Eleazar Goddey, Yahaya Garba Hassan and Uguru Godwin
Ewere
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expand and transform the productive potential of the national economy by inducing higher
productivity and expansion of new niches and industries.
The entrepreneurship in this context is thought of as being induced by an individual’s skills,
motive, or attitudes and psychological endowments in a timeless and space-less vacuum, which
in turn is affected by the context in which he or she is acting. Therefore, the entrepreneurial
motives and actions are influenced by cultural and institutional factors, the business
environment and macro-economic conditions. Among the arguments for the choice of the
model is that: the model has been found suitable for explaining entrepreneurship and economic
development and captures the evolutionary perspective of entrepreneurship development and
economic growth in developing countries; and it highlights the essential variable and intricate
web of relationship amongst economic units of national economy.
Figure 1 The Wennekers and Thurik Model of Entrepreneurship
Source: Wennekers and Thurik(1999).
2.2. Review of Empirical Studies on Entrepreneurship
Adeoye, (2015) carried out a study on the effect of entrepreneurship on economic growth and
development in Nigeria. The methodology adopted was the narrative textual case study as a
result of the absence of sequential data related to entrepreneurship and sustainable economic
growth in Nigeria. The study found a strong link between entrepreneurship and economic
growth and development. In a related study undertaken by Agbionu, Ibenta and Egbunike
(2013) on entrepreneurship and economic development and poverty alleviation, the study found
a missing link between entrepreneurship theory and economic development. Riti, et al (2015)
conducted a study to ascertain the effect of entrepreneurship in employment generation. The
study, which adopted the co-integration and vector error correction mechanism methodology,
found that employment and capacity utilization can be generated thorough entrepreneurial
development. Ogundele, Akingbade and Akinlabi, 2012; Ojo, Abayomi and Odozi, 2014, have
established significant positive relationship between entrepreneurship training and education
and youth empowerment and social welfare services. Asogwa and Dim (2016) investigate the
relationship between entrepreneurial development and unemployment reduction in Anambra
Dissecting the Socio-Economic Dynamics of Entrepreneurial Interventions in the South-South,
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State. It was found that training has the potential of increasing the propensity for
entrepreneurship.
3. MATERIALS AND METHOD
The target population of this study totaled 43, 798 and comprises entrepreneurs registered with
Ministry of Commerce and industry located in the south-south Geo political zone of Nigeria.
The study adopts a cross-sectional survey research design. The units of analysis are the
founders/business owners of manufacturing enterprises. Taro Yamane formula was used to
determine the sample size obtained as 396. For fair representation and effective coverage, a
simple random sampling technique was used to choose respondents for the study and
questionnaire was favored as the instrument for data collection. The questionnaire was
structured along Linkert five-point scoring scale ranging from Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree
to Strongly Disagree, undecided (see appendix A, table, A. 1). All scaled responses were
measured depending on the degree of agreement or its frequency based on the assumption that
a response on a scale is a quantitative measure of judgment of feeling (Gilbert, 1996). Collected
data were substantiated with publications by government agencies and other institutions that
have focused on entrepreneurial development, entrepreneurial programmes and policies in
Nigeria. Descriptive statistics and multiple regressions model were employed to analysis the
hypotheses at 5% significant level. The analysis was carried out using the Stata 13.0 version.
Three hundred (300) of distributed questionnaires were returned, representing 75% return rate
and used for analysis. The research instrument was tested for internal consistency using the
Cronbach coefficient alpha method. A pilot study was conducted using 10% of the sample size
and the result of reliability test showed an acceptable Cronbach alpha score above 0.9 for all
the constructs and a mean value of 0.9319 as indicated in Table 1.
Table 1 Reliability Test
3.1. Model Specification
Entrepreneurship = f (socio-economic well-being)
EMPR = f (SEWB) ……………………………….……Equation 1
SEWB = (EMPG, POVE, YORE, LITL) ………………………Equation 2
From Equation (1) and (2)
Model: EMPR = α0 + β1 EMPG + β2 POVE + β3 YORE + β4 LITL + t
Where:
EMPR = Entrepreneurship
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EMPG = Employment generation
POVE = Poverty reduction
YORE = Youth Restiveness
LITL = Illiteracy Level
α0, ß1 = Regression Coefficients
t = Error Term
4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
From the result of demographic profile of respondents in selected south-south states of Nigeria,
it was observed that the respondents were made up of 267 males, representing 89% of total
responses, while 33 respondents are female, representing 11% of total responses an indication
that the manufacturing sector quite unlike the service sector, requires more of able able-body
men with energy and strength to carry out the daily functioning of the enterprise. The age
distribution of respondents shows that 18 respondents representing 6% are below the ages of
30; 120 respondents representing 40% are within the ages bracket of 30-40 years; 150
respondents representing 50% are within the ages of 41-50 years; while 12 respondents
representing 4%, are above 50 years of age, implying the dominance of middle age workers in
the manufacturing sector; 241 respondents representing 80.3% are married; 53 representing
17.7% of the total respondents are not married. This is in alignment with the age distribution of
the employees, with 94% of the respondents above the age of 30 years.
On highest educational qualification of respondents, none had WAEC/GCE/NECO as their
highest qualification; 33 respondents representing 11% had OND/NCE; 85 respondents
representing 28.3 had HND/BSC; 175 respondents representing 58.4% had MBA/M.Sc. as their
highest qualifications; and only 3 respondents representing 1% had Ph.D; while 4 respondents
representing 1.3% had other qualifications aside the ones mentioned. This indicates that the
highest number of respondents sampled has MBA/M.Sc. qualifications.
With respect to the years of experience, 20 of the respondents representing 6.7% have been
in business below 11 years; 101 of the respondents representing 33.7% have been in business
between 11-15 years; 112 representing 17.3% have been in business between 16-20 years; 61
respondents representing 20.3% have been in business between 21-25 years; and 6 respondents
representing 2% have been in business for more than 26 years. It could be inferred from above
that the respondents sampled are experienced entrepreneurs. The distribution of respondents
based on sex distribution, the result shows (67.4%) for male and (32.7%) for female. On marital
status, 70.6% were married, 22.5% were single and 5.9% were divorced and others were 1.1%.
By implication, among the entrepreneurs, male and married participants in south-south zone
were more than the other categories of person. Based on their educational qualification, the
result shows that 32.6% of the respondents had HND/B.Sc., 44.1% had OND/NCE, and 18.2%
had SSCE. Only 3.2% had M.Sc./MBA/MA/Med qualifications. By implication, most
entrepreneurs had high level of education depicting they have adequate knowledge about
entrepreneurial businesses. Table 2 shows the mean and standard deviation scores on the
influence of entrepreneurship on employment generation in selected States. The level of
agreement of respondents was judged by the average mean above 4.0
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4.1. Descriptive Analysis of Variables
Table 2 Mean and Standard Deviation scores on for employment generation
Source: Researcher’s computation (using stata version 13.0)
The result in Table 3 reveals that there is positive correlation among the dimensions of the
studied variables
Table 3 Correlation among variables
Source: Researcher’s computation (using Stata version 13.0)
4.2. Test of Hypotheses
4.2.1. Hypothesis One
H01: There is no significant relationship between entrepreneurship and employment generation.
From Table B. 1 (Appendix B), giving the Beta value (β = .1501, p = 0.000) indicates that
there exists a significant relationship between entrepreneurship activities and employment
generation. In view of this, the null hypothesis (Ho) was rejected and the alternate hypothesis
(Ha) accepted, implying that entrepreneurship activities have a direct influence on employment
generation.
4.2.2. Hypothesis Two
H02: There is no significant relationship between entrepreneurship and poverty reduction.
From Table B. 1 (Appendix B), giving the Beta value (β = .2369, p = 0.000) indicates that
there exists a significant relationship between entrepreneurship activities and poverty reduction.
In view of this, the null hypothesis (Ho) was rejected and the alternate hypothesis (Ha) accepted,
implying that entrepreneurship activities have a direct influence on poverty reduction.
4.2.3. Hypothesis Three
H03: Entrepreneurial activity has no significant relationship with literacy level.
Table B. 1 (Appendix B), giving the Beta value (β = .2145, p = 0.000) indicates that there
exists a significant relationship between entrepreneurship activities and literacy level. In view
of this, the null hypothesis (Ho) was rejected and the alternate hypothesis (Ha) accepted,
implying that entrepreneurship activities have a direct influence on employment generation.
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4.2.4. Hypothesis Four
H04: Entrepreneurship does not significantly lead to reduction in youth restiveness in the south-
south Nigeria.
Table B. 1 (Appendix B), giving the Beta value (β = .1114, p = 0.011) indicates that there
is a significant relationship between entrepreneurship activities and reduction in youth
restiveness. In view of this, the null hypothesis (Ho) was rejected and the alternate hypothesis
(Ha) accepted, implying that entrepreneurship activities have a direct influence on youth
restiveness. It is observed from the OLS multiple regressions that the adjusted R-squared value
of 0.4238 shows that about 42.4% of the systematic variations in the dependent variable
(entrepreneurship) was jointly explained by the independent variables (improved socio-
economic lives). The F-statistic value of 55.98 and the associated P-value of 0.000 shows that
the OLS multiple regression model on the overall is statistically significant at 1% level, this
means that the regression model is valid and can be used for statistical inference.
5. DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
1. Unemployment is predominant in an environment where business start-up has low
propensity to survive due to lack of enabling infrastructures to promote innovation and
creativity. Findings indicate a strong relationship between entrepreneurship and
employment generation in Nigeria.
2. There is also strong evidence that entrepreneurship correlates significantly with poverty
reduction in the south-south Nigeria. The finding aligns with the studies of Onodugo,
and Onodugo (2015), and Eriobunah and Nosakhare (2013) who collectively asserted
that societal level of poverty can be reduced through entrepreneurial orientation and
education in Nigeria. However, it is observed from the findings that not much have
accomplished in this area as most of the government’s initiatives have not been backed
up with clearly articulated plans and programmes.
3. This study further revealed that the presence of entrepreneurship has helped to curtail
youth restiveness thereby improving the economy standard. Youths in the south-south
zone to a certain degree acquired skills through entrepreneurial training and
programmes by government to prepare them for self-employment. These findings are in
tandem with the work of Oghojafor, Okonji, Olayemi and Okolie, (2011) which states
that, the essence of entrepreneurship was to create avenue for skills development among
youths currently not able to get job.
4. The training and developmental programmes by governmental institutions and other
bodies are designed to enhance literacy level among the youths, thus helping to improve
their individual business skills. These finding corroborate the work of Ford (2014) and
Adewumi (2009) that entrepreneurship can enhance learning and knowledge
acquisition. The study observed that most of the resources and facilities for transferring
learning are either non-existent or inadequate.
6. CONCLUSION
This study reveals that entrepreneurship entails identifying and exploiting profitable business
opportunities with the aid of human financial and material resources with the mindset of profit
making. This in turn fosters economic growth and development of a society or a nation. Small
scale businesses which are the vehicles through which entrepreneurs channel their
entrepreneurial ambitions serve as engine for employment generation, wealth creation,
industrial development and economic growth. Before Nigeria slipped into recession in 2016, it
has been witnessing remarkable and consistent economic growth; but this has not been
translated into significant decline in unemployment and poverty. This means that economic
Dissecting the Socio-Economic Dynamics of Entrepreneurial Interventions in the South-South,
Nigeria
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development has not been achieved. Entrepreneurship development in Nigeria could not be
measured because of lack of data which has made the empirical investigation impossible.
However, the descriptive, narrative, and empirical study which was done in this research can
provide confidence for drawing conclusion. Until sufficient jobs and wealth are created to
reduce poverty through entrepreneurial investment, the social-economic lifestyles of the people
in the south-south Nigeria will deteriorate. It has become self-evident that entrepreneurship
practices through training, skill acquisition, youth empowerment will significantly influence
government’s policy towards employment generation, poverty reduction, youth empowerment
and increasing the level of awareness literacy in the south-south Nigeria.
7. RECOMMENDATIONS
It is germane for policy makers to recognize and understand the importance of entrepreneurship
in improving the well-being and quality of lives of people in Nigeria. Government at all levels
should adopt integrative strategic plan to engaging and empowering the youths in order to
encourage them to imbibe the spirit and mindset of entrepreneurship. The Nigerian government
is further urged to develop the infrastructures that will underpin a world class economy
including electricity, health care, and good road networks. Vocational skill acquisition centers
should be positioned in each local government area and should be well equipped and functional
as this will help to infuse entrepreneurial attitude into them. There is the need to build vocational
skill acquisition center in every university or tertiary institution to enable them implement
practical entrepreneurial education which is not supposed to be taught in the class room. The
Nigerian government should partner with TERTFUND in the area of provision of starter packs
and venture capital to prepare Nigerian graduates for self-employment after graduation. The
federal government and private stakeholders should help to create research and Development
(R&D) information centers for innovation and creativity and spreading the information about
new methods of doing business. It is imperative for government at all levels to assume the roles
of providing social amenities to the rural areas to enable youths stay in the village and avoids
influx into the cities which has been overpopulated. Of corresponding importance is
government’s active disposition to extend soft loans to the youths that are newly going into the
business. Monetary empowerment meant for entrepreneurs should go through the right channel
to the entrepreneurs and not to be diverted. National directorate of employment should be
strengthened and make them to continue with their training programmes. Furthermore,
identifying those with entrepreneurial potential in the tertiary institutions and encouraging them
to go into private businesses is crucial. Finally, the federal government and other stakeholders
should address the nation’s security challenges to stimulate entrepreneurship practices among
deserving unemployed university graduates and attracting foreign investment to the country.
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APPENDIX A
Demographic Data of Respondents
1. Type of Vocation or trade ______________________________
2. Sex: Male ( ) Female ( )
3. Marital Status: Single ( ) Married ( ) Divorced ( ) Others ( )
4. Educational Qualification: SSCE ( ) OND/NCE ( ) HND/BSC ( ) MSC,
MBA, MA, MED ( ) Others ( )
5. Age: 18 – 25 ( ) 26 – 33 ( ) 34 – 41 ( ) 42 – 49 ( )
50 – 57 ( )
SECTION B QUESTION/STATEMENT
Kindly tick (√ ) in the column that represent you opinion
SA = Strongly Agreed A = Agreed, D = Disagreed
SD = Strongly Disagreed U = Undecided
Table A 1 Research Questionnaire
Unemployment Dimensions
SA A D SD U
1. Low propensity to start-up business could lead
unemployment
2. Training programmes can help to address the
problems of unemployment
3. High cost of start-up will increase rate of
unemployment.
4. Youth empowerment can lead to reduction in
unemployment
5. Many youths have benefited from the skill
acquisition centers in the zone.
6 Graduate training/empowerment scheme will
reduce unemployment among graduates
7 Unemployment can lead to social vices in south-
south Nigeria
Poverty Dimensions
SA A D SD U
1. Government programme has contributed to
poverty reduction.
2. Poor people are prone to ill health resulting to
reduction in working capacity.
3. Government have adopted several measures to
reduce the problem of poverty
Eromafuru Edward Godbless, Akobundu Eleazar Goddey, Yahaya Garba Hassan and Uguru Godwin
Ewere
http://www.iaeme.com/IJM/index.asp 497 [email protected]
Poverty Dimensions
SA A D SD U
4. Encouraging people to be self- employed is one
of the best ways to reduce poverty.
5. Poverty means lacking in material resources,
power and choice.
6 Women empowerment scheme can reduce
poverty level among women
Youth Restiveness Dimensions
SA A D SD U
1. Youth restiveness can result in economic
stagnation.
2. Acquired skills can reduce youth restiveness.
3.
Government programmes and schemes can help
to solve to solve the problems of youth
restiveness.
4. Self-employment has reduced the problem of
youth restiveness.
5. Be unemployed can lead to the sad result of
youth gang-asterism
Illiteracy Dimensions
SA A D SD U
1. Governments in the south zone designed training
programmes that benefit the youths
2. Individual skill improves after each training
programme.
3. Competency and other skills acquired can
prepare youth for self-employment.
4. Vocational training centers in the zone are
functional.
5. Skill acquisition helps individuals to create jobs.
Entrepreneurship (Aggregate Dimensions)
SA A D SD U
1. Entrepreneurship through business creation can
be a source of employment generation.
2. Entrepreneurship can help to create wealth in the
South-south zone.
3. Entrepreneurship can reduce the rate of criminal
activities in the Niger-delta region.
4. Entrepreneurship training can help to impact
skills.
5. Entrepreneurs are major contributors to
economic growth
Dissecting the Socio-Economic Dynamics of Entrepreneurial Interventions in the South-South,
Nigeria
http://www.iaeme.com/IJM/index.asp 498 [email protected]
APPENDIX B
Table B 1 Regression Results
Eromafuru Edward Godbless, Akobundu Eleazar Goddey, Yahaya Garba Hassan and Uguru Godwin
Ewere
http://www.iaeme.com/IJM/index.asp 499 [email protected]
Source: Fieldwork, 2018