Dynamics of Entrepreneurship Education and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Development in North Central Nigeria

Abstract

This study sought to determine entrepreneurship education and small and medium enterprises development in North Central, Nigeria. The nonchalant entrepreneurial attitude and intention of youths and individuals in the society has posed a lot of challenges leading to slow development of small and medium enterprises, with the resultant effects of poor economic growth and development. The specific objectives of the study were to: (i) Ascertain the extent to which entrepreneurship vocational training affects products development of small and medium enterprises in North Central, Nigeria; (ii) Determine the extent to which entrepreneurial skill acquisition enhances productivity of small and medium enterprises in North central, Nigeria; (iii) Determine the extent to which entrepreneurial networking affects market expansion of SMEs in North Central, Nigerian. On the conduct of the study, the survey design was used. The target population of the study was 17,973 consisting of all staff of private enterprises (including owner-founder) that are registered with the various state ministries of Trade, Commerce, Industry, and Tourism in North Central, Nigeria. A sample size of 377 was drawn from the population using Krejcie and Morgan sample size determination. Bowley’s proportional statistical technique was used to determine the proportional allocation of questionnaire to the number of enterprise and staff in each state. The instruments used for data collection was the mixed method: which is quantitative (structured questionnaire) and qualitative (interview) method. Face and content validity, a panel of management experts in the department was used to critiques the validity of the instrument. The instrument was checked for reliability using Test-retest method and the results computation was carried out using Spearman Ranking Correlation Coefficient of test-retest results and a value of 0.98 indicated a high degree of item consistency. The hypotheses were tested using Pearson product moment correlation technique for hypotheses one and two; simple linear regression for hypothesis three. The findings revealed that: To a large extent entrepreneurship vocational training enhances products development of small and medium enterprises in North Central, Nigeria (r=.979, p<0.05): Entrepreneurial skill acquisition enhances productivity of small and medium enterprises in North Central, Nigeria (r=.949, p<0.05). Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that there should be more government and private sector involvement in the concept of entrepreneurship education; more so, policy makers and implementers should see entrepreneurship as a pivot engine that steers the economic hub of any nation to a virile and greater height. More importantly taking a turn from the “Asian tigers” economy, that has strategic turnaround was from entrepreneurship development.