Entrepreneurial Development and Entrepreneurial Intentions of Women in North-Central Nigeria

Abstract

This study aimed at attitude towards entrepreneurship development and entrepreneurial intentions of women in North-Central Nigeria. The study investigated the effect of women entrepreneurial attitude on the degree of entrepreneurial intentions, and examined the effect of business education and entrepreneurial training on the entrepreneurial intentions of women in North-Central Nigeria among others. To achieve the research goal, the survey research design was used. The population of the study was 1,027 women business owners. The sample was chosen using a multi-stage sampling technique. The sample size of 280 was obtained for the study. Data were generated and analysed using both descriptive statistics and Multiple Regression. Finding showed that women entrepreneurial attitude has strong effect on the degree of entrepreneurial intentions, and that business education and entrepreneurial training have weak effects on the entrepreneurial intentions of women in North-Central Nigeria. The study concluded that women's entrepreneurial attitudes have a massive effect on their entrepreneurial intentions. This study recommended that government and policy makers should design an entrepreneurship programme with the sole aim of inspiring positive women’s entrepreneurial attitude, and also develop entrepreneurship framework that captures gender-sensitive business education and training to boost the entrepreneurial intentions of women in North-Central Nigeria.