Determining Factors That Improve Youths’ Economic Empowerment in Katsina State, Nigeria

Abstract

Suffice it to say, that the government poverty alleviation and empowerment programmes are unsustainable, and formal financial institutions such as commercial banks are incapable of combating and reducing poverty, particularly among the Youths, as evidenced by the failure of several programmes and schemes to produce the expected results, despite government efforts to improve the standard of living of its citizens. Notwithstanding, Katsina state remains among the states with higher poverty rate, with the highest underemployment/unemployment rate. Which stemmed the incidences of violent crimes in the area. This serves as the motivation of the study to identify other factors that may be effective in empowering the Youths economically. To achieve the goals, the study employs a quantitative approach through structured questionnaire. The study samples were selected using a multistage sampling technique from microfinance services Youths’ beneficiaries in Katsina state, Nigeria. The result revealed that the variables that represented the main determinant of economic empowerment in the study; microcredit, micro-savings, financial training, and advisory services interacted positively which implies positive linear relationship with economic empowerment. The study suggests that MFBs should make microcredit more attainable to their youth clients to effectively fulfil their mission of empowering youth economically. Microfinance banks should be recognised as poor people’s banks, with one-digit loan rates. The Nigerian Central Bank should provide MFIs with adequate policy guidance in order to deliver Youths-friendly financial services. The outcomes of this research would be relevant to policy issues specifically the regulators such as the Central Bank of Nigeria.